


MAGNUS

by LiliMane



Series: 7 Days of Words, Words, Words [6]
Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: AU, Basically an Isak x Even AU with Magnus as a clumsy matchmaker, Even and Magnus being the grossest bestest friends forever and ever, F/M, Humor, Isak has a crush on Even and Even has a crush on Isak and they're both hopeless, M/M, Magnus POV, Mentions of Sex, SkamFicWeek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2018-12-18 08:46:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 24,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11870754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliMane/pseuds/LiliMane
Summary: ❁❁❁ SkamFicWeek | Day 6 - Wedding Guests AU ❁❁❁Ever since Even had gotten to know Isak better, he's been a pain in the neck, relentlessly trying to draw out any type of information about Isak from Magnus. After a month of giving him any type of information he could about Isak without feeling like he's giving away too much about his friend's personal life, Magnus has had enough. He walked up to Even, put his hand on his shoulder and said, in a very serious, almost threatening tone, “You know what, Even? Ask him yourself.”





	1. A Freshly Plucked Beet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fxckxxp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fxckxxp/gifts).



> This one is short and (let's hope) sweet.
> 
> So sorry it's late! Day 7 will be coming shortly.
> 
> UPDATE: This fic can be read as an oneshot. If you want to continue reading, please read the Notes at the beginning of Chapter 2.

“You should go with Even.” Jonas deadpans.

“Oh, fuck, yeah! Even! We totally forgot about him!” Mahdi exclaims, then chomps on another cupcake Magnus' girlfriend left the last time she visited their apartment.

“What? No. What?” Isak is flustered as ever, now that the alcohol is running through his veins and the weed is starting to kick in. There is a big probability that the fact that he's totally in love with Magnus' roommate is finally going to come to light since he might unintentionally spill the beans when he's not sober. That's why he hasn't been enjoying getting drunk with his friends lately as much as he did in the past – while intoxicated, he tends to run his mouth and blush even more easily than usual.

“Magnus. Even's your bestie. He would totally want to go with Isak, right?”

Magnus sips his beer in silence, face serious, which is not very characteristic of him, since he's most often the one who gets excited over every little thing that involves, or might involve Even.

“Hmm.” He looks over at Isak, who's playing with the hem of his shirt and looks at the table, face flushed.

“Isak can ask him himself.”

Magnus is so proud of himself right now. Ever since Even had gotten to know Isak better, he's been a pain in the neck, relentlessly trying to draw out any type of information about Isak from Magnus. After a month of giving him any type of information he could about Isak without feeling like he's giving away too much about his friend's personal life, Magnus has had enough. He walked up to Even, put his hand on his shoulder and said, in a very serious, almost threatening tone, “You know what, Even? Ask him yourself.”

 _This is not kindergarten, for fucks sake. Why can't they just talk to each other?_ For the last 3 months, all Magnus was constantly hearing when in the presence of Even, were questions about Isak. “Is he seeing anyone?” “Do you know if he likes guys?” “And if he does, would he be interested? Like, in a blond guy? Does he like blue eyes? Maybe he prefers, like, short, bulky guys with dark hair? Like Spanish guys, or whatever? Does he like Spanish guys, Mags?!”

_God. Can't they just fuck and get this over with, already._

Isak was even worse. He would not ask about Even at all. All he would do while in the presence of his crush was follow him around with those big doe eyes, and then turn his head away when caught staring.

If they were going to go at this pace, they would never get anywhere and Magnus would constantly be stuck in this indirect matchmaking hell.

So thank God, that when the invitation for Eskild's and Elias' wedding finally arrived, Jonas came up with the idea of Isak taking Even as his date. _They would go to this wedding_ , Magnus thinks, _get a little bit tipsy, not too much, just enough to be overconfident but still be able to get it up. They'd make out, make each other come a few times and bam! True love. Together forever._ Next year, they'd be the ones sending out wedding invitations, and why is Magnus imagining them hooking up so vividly?

“Yeah, go on. Text him. See what he says. He's one of Elias' closest friends, so he's a perfect person to take. A friend of the groom. Or, the other groom.” Mahdi says, trying to take another cupcake, until Magnus snaps his hand away and takes it for himself.

“Uhhhh...” Isak looks around the table and rests his sight at Magnus.

“Goooo ooooonnn.” Magnus says as calmly as he can.

“Text Even! Text Even!” Jonas and Mahdi start to chant. Soon, Isak budges.

“Okay, okay! Jesus Christ! Calm down, guys.” He takes the phone into his shaking hands. _You're the one who should calm down_ , thinks Magnus, _since you're the one who looks like a freshly plucked beet_.

The guys go back to chatting, leaving Isak to his own devices.

He stares at his phone, until Mahdi asks, “And? Did he reply?”

“...I haven't written anything yet.”

Jonas an Mahdi look at each other, Magnus swallows the last bit of his girlfriend's cupcake and takes the phone from his hands.

“What the...? Magnus?!”

_Dramatic as always._

“Calm down. I'm not going to embarrass you.”

Magnus types the message, while ignoring Isak's feeble attempts at taking his phone back.

“Done. He's going to reply probably in approximately 15 seconds.”

“What did you write?”

Before Isak manages to look at the message, a text from Even shows up at the screen.

 

**EVEN**

**21:22**

Of course I would! We could meet up earlier, maybe? Or, maybe, we could pick out the present for them together? It would be cheaper this way.

 

Another text.

 

**EVEN**

**21:22**

And...I'm sure you do too :)

 

Isak's eyes widen as he scrolls up to see what Magnus has written in his name.

 

Hey Even ;) Would you like to go to Elias' wedding with me this Saturday? My PLATONIC date canceled on me at the last moment and I already told Eskild I was bringing someone. Help me, Even Bech Næsheim, you're my only hope! ;) PS. I bet you look hella hot in a suit.

Before Isak can start murdering Magnus with a dull knife, another text pops up.

 

**EVEN**

**21:23**

Are you drunk? Because I'm sober. And I would love to go with you.

 

Another one.

 

**EVEN**

**21:23**

Even if you were drunk while you sent this.

 

And another.

 

**EVEN**

**21:23**

Or even if you've sent this to the wrong person.

 

And another.

 

**EVEN**

**21:23**

I'm available, just letting you know.

 

 _And_ another.

 

**EVEN**

**21:23**

Available. And Eager.

 

“So?” Magnus asks, before taking another sip of his beer. “What did he say?”

 


	2. A Some Kind of Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah, but can you look boring and hot at the same time though?”  
> “Of course you can. Hollywood actors do that all the time.”  
> There's a pause but finally Even seems to accept the fact that he looks at least presentable.  
> “Okay then. Okay.”  
> Magnus turns around to face him, finally done with finding the right key to their door and having closed it.  
> “You ready?” Magnus offers him his brightest, most assuring smile. “Both physically and mentally?”  
> “Never that. But I'm willing to try despite that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! 
> 
> This was originally an oneshot written as a part of SkamFicWeek, but I have decided to continue it for a few short ridiculous chapters. 
> 
> This fic is solely from Magnus' point of view and tells the not-so-epic tale of Isak and Even being awkward dorks who can't look in each other's direction without the help of a matchmaker. It's mostly crack, as it features a lot of Magnus' internal monologues. It also features an original character of mine, Adela Blom, who you can read about more in my previous works, FOCUS and EVEN. She was created by a coincidence, really, but soon became a recurring character in my fics.
> 
> The characters here are a bit older than they are in the series, most of them attend UiO (University of Oslo). Magnus and Even are best friends since childhood and they live together (to save money and support each other emotionally every step of their bumpy way into adulthood and they're both huge dorks who love each other very much).
> 
> This fic is being continued upon the request of the lovely Fxckxxp (I don't know how to insert a link here welp) and is a short awkward thank-you gift for bringing the fandom the wonderful fic "Boy with a Basket of Fruit" which you should be reading instead of this, to be honest.
> 
> The chapters will be rather short and to the point. And the point is, Isak and Even want to get together. Magnus wants Isak and Even to get together. None of them knows how to make that happen. But Magnus is running out of patience.
> 
> Anyway, let's begin the quest into the weird and overwhelming mind of no.1 Evak shipper, Magnus Fossbakken!

Magnus crosses the shared area of their apartment and stops in front of the door to Even's room. Yup. He's gonna knock. It would be far to weird to explain why he has seen Even naked almost as many times as he did his girlfriend and Magnus _knows_ it would come up sooner or later if, or rather, once, Isak and Even get together. He's gotta be more careful now. No more peeing while Even's showering. No more “bro it's okay we're both guys” when Even can't find his towel when he's walking out of the shower (I mean, Magnus would hand him the towel but the rack is _so_ far from the toilet seat and they're both guys anyway, so). It's time for change now, since Even's been pissing his pants about wanting to get to know Isak better and what Even wants he usually gets. Well, okay, it's not fair to compare Isak to something Even wants and thus, is going to get. But, still. It would be nice if Even managed to get _with_ Isak. God, Magnus could finally have some peace of mind then. And maybe his conversations with Even would go back to _not_ center around Even's desperate crush. He's going to help his friend. His best friend. His roommate who likes to walk around the house butt-naked from time to time which Magnus does not desperately support at all but he's not going to make his roommate slash best friend feel bad about. He's going to help him, be patient, and then they can go back to how things were before Even's mind wasn't filled with constant mantra of _Isak Isak Isak_. Before all of that can happen though, he's going to knock. Twice. Three times. Okay. Four times. Stern knocks on the door. Okay. Five times should do it. Maybe they should have started this tradition of knocking before entering each other's rooms unannounced way back because it does not seem to be working now. Finally, Magnus hears a response. A solemn, quiet voice.

“Yes?”

“You're not naked in there, buddy, right?”

“No.”

“Okay. I'm coming in.”

Magnus walks in and sees Even staring at himself in his mirror, dressed in a simple, black suit with white shirt and a black tie. His back is hunched and he seems to be contemplating his entire existence, his eyes boring into his reflection.

Magnus takes in the scene before him and sits carefully on the bed. Adela will kill him if she sees even a tiny wrinkle on his suit.

Even sighs dramatically.

“What's up? Are you ready?”

“I don't know.”

Silence. Even's still staring at himself, the expression on his face quite pathetic. After a long moment, he finally speaks.

“I'm so...skinny and pale.”

_Oh God. Here comes the self-deprecation on Even's part and the usual cheering-up on Magnus' part that follows._

“Okay... I'd be surprised If I walked into your room and you weren't. That's your thing. Skinny and pale.”

“My _thing_? That's not, my thing. I was just born this way.”

“Ah. Like Gaga.”

Even doesn't seem to be listening and just keeps staring at himself, now trying to straighten his tie and searching through the pockets in his suit like he's looking for some kind of treasure there.

“Well...”

Magnus looks at his phone.

“We have to go down in like, 5 minutes. So make like Gaga and rock this thing. Go out with confidence and tear the house down, like you usually do when we go out. But don't steal the spotlight from the grooms.”

“Like it's possible to steal spotlight from Eskild.”

“Well, then you've got nothing to worry about. We have to go soon, Ev. Come on. Stop staring at yourself and let's get on the move baby.”

Oh. Magnus is going to have to do something about calling his best friend slash roommate “baby” too.

Even sighs again and finally looks over at Magnus as he turns around to face him.

“I look stupid.”

“What?”

“And boring. What if Isak's suit is like, colorful or something and we don't match?”

“What the fuck? You're going to match perfectly, because, I can assure you, he's going to be sporting the same boring black suit as you are. You're going to basically look like twins.”

Even furrows his eyebrows. _Okay. He's back with me. That's good. Now, let's get him downstairs_ , Magnus thinks.

“That is _not_ the type of relationship I'm going for with him.”

“Yeah yeah. You already have a great brother anyway. And his girlfriend is going to be _pissed_ if he's not going to be down in 2 minutes.”

Even smiles faintly.

“You're so whipped.”

“Well, you'll soon have a chance to be whipped too, by your future not-twin boyfriend.”

“God, I hope so.”

They go out of the room and walk up to the door of their apartment.

“I want to be whipped so baad.” Even seems to be back in his own thoughts, sighing and looking away, as if he's talking to himself.

Magnus tries _very_ hard not to roll his eyes and make a sexual comment about what Even had just said.

“Okay. We're going. You have everything? Thank God Ads is the one bringing the present from us.”

“Uh, yeah. Isak has the present too.”

“Okay! We're good, then, right?”

Magnus manages to gently push Even out of the door and proceeds to fumble with the keys to their apartment.

“Do I look hot, though? Isak said I'd definitely look hot in a suit, and since then, I feel like it was, like, an unsaid promise, you know? To look hot.”

“Yes. You look hot. Objectively and subjectively.” Before Magnus can bite his tongue, his words are out of his mouth. Dammit. That's the kind of things he's going to have to look out for while speaking in front of Isak. Nobody wants to create any weird suspicions around Magnus and Even's relationship. Not when Magnus is so close to make Evak happen. _Hm. Evak. That's a nice name for them._

“Yeah, but can you look boring and hot at the same time though?”

“Of course you can. Hollywood actors do that all the time.”

There's a pause but finally Even seems to accept the fact that he looks _at least_ presentable.

“Okay then. Okay.”

Magnus turns around to face him, finally done with finding the right key to their door and having closed it.

“You ready?” Magnus offers him his brightest, most assuring smile. “Both physically and mentally?”

“Never that. But I'm willing to try despite that.”

Magnus pats Even on the shoulder.

“That's the spirit! Off to rock this fucking thing, then, finally.”

Even smiles back. And, for the first time today, it seems to be genuine.

_Finally. He's back._

“Yup. Let's rock this fucking thing, finally.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the wedding disaster :)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading and let me know if you did.
> 
> You can find me @ isxev on Tumblr.


	3. A Goddamn Hotel Plaza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus searches the lavishly decorated ballroom for some time, until he finds them. Ah. Talking about people who should be putting stuff into each other mouths. There they are. They're even exchanging words now, not just steal looks at each other every second while stiffly sitting in their chairs. Wow, that's some progress right there. Magnus is pretty sure the intensity of the sarcasm in his inner voice can be felt from across the room, since Even looks over in his direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Chapter 3 is here :)
> 
> The wedding and the reception take place on one of those fancy hotels, like those for example  
> https://68.media.tumblr.com/fba676ea784107822e27f79d0f152dcb/tumblr_inline_ow9zj6QDYo1see242_540.jpg  
> but you can imagine it to look completely differently, of course!

“Can't I have at least one, though?”

“No, I told you they're for the happy couple, like, 10 times already.”

“What? _We_ are a happy couple. Very happy. There's me, being happy, you, being extremely happy...”

“Okay. You know what I mean.”

“You mean to tell me that we're very happy and that's why I can take any of these if I want to, right?”

Magnus is forced to take a couple steps down from his favorite place, cloud nine, which he is currently occupying while bickering with his girlfriend about which cupcakes she brought to the wedding as a special present for the grooms he can or cannot eat, when he hears a familiar grumpy voice.

“Ugh, this is a disaster.”

Elias plops on the chair right across from them and sighs. Eskild follows after him and takes a sit next to him, putting his arm on the back of the chair occupied by his newly appointed husband.

“Stop complaining. Just because your favorite band isn't as good live as you thought they would be, doesn't mean the whole thing is a disaster. I mean, you're sitting here with me, right? You managed to get through your vows and profess your undying love to me, right? That should be good enough.”

Elias looks at him unimpressed, but after not longer than a minute he breaks into a small smile.

“...I guess.”

“You guess?? There's no time for guessing anymore! From now on it's only hard work to make that marriage last, my baby _lemur_!” He says “lemur” with a fake French accent and pointedly accentuates the word. Then, he reaches out for the box with cupcakes sitting in front of Adela and Magnus. “Here, have a cupcake.” He takes one out and brings his hand to Elias' mouth. “A famous Adela Cupcake! It should lift your spirits right up, since even your _husband_ can't achieve that.” Elias looks at him and furrows his brows.

“Come on. You just need some sugar, baby.” Elias smiles and brings his hand closer to Elias' mouth.

Finally, Elias budges and eats the cupcake in one bite, not taking his eyes off of his husband for one second.

Adela just sits there, rather awkwardly, trying not to stare at the display of affection between the two of them, while Magnus is back in his thoughts.

 _Oh, man. At least_ _ **he**_ _can get one I guess._ Unashamedly boring his eyes into the sight of Elias licking off each of Eskild's fingers, he is somehow reminded of another couple of complete and utter dorks that should be hanging around here somewhere.

Magnus searches the lavishly decorated ballroom for some time, until he finds them. _Ah. Talking about people who should be putting stuff into each other mouths. There they are. They're even exchanging words now, not just steal looks at each other every second while stiffly sitting in their chairs. Wow, that's some progress right there._ Magnus is pretty sure the intensity of the sarcasm in his inner voice can be felt from across the room, since Even looks over in his direction. Magnus just gives him a beaming smile and a thumbs up, just before he brings two of his index fingers up to the air and joins them in a not-so-subtle gesture. Even just smiles at him and shakes his head slightly. A dumb Magnus joke seems to lift up his spirits, as it usually happens. He starts fumbling in the pocket of his pants and gestures to Isak to lean over to him a bit, which Isak does, a faint blush covering his cheeks. He takes something out of his pocket and they start giggling like children. Magnus looks at them fondly and just before he's about to go back to try and persuade his girlfriend to give him some of her homemade sweets, he notices a tall figure approaching Isak and Even's table.

_Well, shit._

_What is he doing here and who invited him? Is he a close friend of someone? Or maybe he's a plus two. That's more likely._ Magnus looks over to ask the grooms about the unwanted guest, but they're already gone from their table. So is the box of cupcakes. So is Ads' chill. She's probably figured out they went out for a quickie which will probably involve her delicacies in some way. Okay. Magnus is going to have to take care of his girlfriend's mental state later, since the situation a few tables across from them seems to be more urgent for Magnus, at least right now.

“I'll be right back, babe. Hang on, okay?”

Adela just nods and takes a sip of the champagne right from the bottle. “You're okay, right? I'm just gonna go over to talk to Ev for a second, yeah?”

She nods again. Okay. This should only take a minute or two. Magnus doesn't have more than two minutes for this shit anyway, not when his girlfriend is sitting there, probably scarred for life, thinking about what could be now happening to her cupcakes she so diligently prepared especially for this occasion.

Magnus starts walking quickly in the direction of Isak and Even's table, trying not to trip over the long dresses of many of the female, and some of the male guests who are all sitting by their respective tables. He slips only a bit on a small puddle made of champagne and bits of yogurt, which, only God knows how it's made its way into this wedding.

Each of Magnus' thoughts is as fast and urgent as the steps his taking towards his friends' table. _Fuck. He better not spoil this for me. I mean, for them. He always manages to show up announced and fuck shit up. Fucking-_

“Julian!” Magnus gives his high school acquaintance his best, widest fake smile and pats him strongly on the back. Maybe a bit _too_ strongly. Maybe _so_ strongly that Julian loses his balance a bit and has to take a hold of the table for a second.

“What are you...doing here? My... _man_?” _Oh God._ Magnus is definitely not very good at making fake conversations with his fake-friends.

Isak and Even are staring at Magnus, both confused and at a loss for words.

“Did I...interrupt a conversation? Or, something?” Magnus is standing right next to Julian, with his hand still on his back. It's a power move, he read somewhere. “ _Firm, physical contact lets your enemy know his presence is not wanted, or may be even threatened.” It's high time to try out this theory,_ Magnus thinks.

“Uh, no. I was just saying hi to, Isak.” He gestures in Isak's general direction while his sight lingers on Isak's face and then his lips for a bit too long. _Stay away you rich fuck. That twinkie's taken. Well, not yet. But soon. By my skinny pale best friend slash roommate. Go get yourself another snickers bar._

“Oh, yeah? That must have been a long “hi” then. You've been standing here for quite some time.” Magnus' fake smile doesn't seem to have any plans of leaving his face anytime soon. At this point, Magnus is becoming a bit scared that it's going to stay there, plastered on his face forever.

There's a moment of awkward silence, until Isak clears his throat and says, “Uh, yeah. Julian's been telling us that he attends UiO.” _Oh, for fucks sake._ “I didn't know that, because I've never seen him around. So...that's what we've been talking about, basically.”

Magnus looks over at Even, who's sitting half-smitten with Isak, half-confused by the situation. _Oh, my sweet winter child. You don't even know the relationship between these two. You probably think they're just friends, don't you? My sweet, blond vampire you._

While Magnus is lost in his thoughts, the conversation between Julian and Isak picks up again, and Even is just sitting there, listening. Once Magnus snaps out of his own inner world, he decided to take action. He comes up to Even, leans over to him and whispers,

“You okay, buddy?”

Even just blinks at him and says, “Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?”

“Well, that's great then. Aren't you feeling a little bit too... _dry_?”

Even barks out a short laugh, which catches Isak's attention and he stares for Even for a minute, until Julian asks him yet another question. _How many questions can you have for someone, huh, JULIAN?_

“No, I'm sweating a bit, to be honest,” Even admits and takes a short sip from his champagne glass.

“Yeah? That's great,” Magnus says absentmindedly and pats Even gently on the shoulder. Thenm he straightens his back. Then, he slowly takes the glass from Even's hands and, before Even can react, he just says:

“Hey, Isak.” Isak turns his head in their direction and watches as Magnus slowly pours the contents of the wine glass right at the crotch area of Even's pants. Silence falls between the four of them, and after Magnus is finished, he deadpans,

“Oops.”

Silence.

“How _clumsy_ of me. You better go and take care of that, right, Even?”

Even just stares at Magnus, dumbfounded.

“Uh, what?”

“In the toilet, maybe?”

“Uhh...yeah. I guess.”

Even starts getting up, but before he leaves, Magnus casually adds, “Oh. I almost forgot. The entrance doors to the bathroom are broken here, they slide right onto you when you're standing by the sink. I went there before and it was a pain, a guy who came in had to hold the door for me while I was washing my hands. If somebody doesn't hold them for you, you're basically stuck between the door and the sink. I barely managed to wash my hands with the door pressing into me before that guy came in.”

Isak, Even and Julian are just staring at him in silence.

“So...you better take someone with you. To help you with the doors, just in case there's nobody there.”

“Uhh, okay then. Uh, Isak, do you want to...” Even doesn't manage to end the sentence, when Isak is already getting up in light speed mode from the chair which slides from under him with a painful screech.

“Uh, yeah. Sure. No problem.”

Suddenly, Julian decides to chip in, for whatever reason. “You don't have to go together, I went to the bathroom on the second floor earlier and the doors are okay in there. You can take the elevator, it's just right...”

“THE ELEVATOR IS BROKEN JULIAN.” Magnus says through gritted teeth, staring into Julian's undeniably beautiful, shiny, dark blue eyes. _Ugh. I hate how attractive he is. Getting him away from Isak would be so much easier if he wasn't Isak's type._

“...Sadly.” He adds, more calmly now, and gestures for Isak and Even to go to the bathroom located on the first floor, where they currently are. Even and Isak look at each other shyly for a moment and start walking away from the table. Even looks rather comically, walking with his long, lanky legs spread because of the wet stain on his crotch. _It's not an expensive suit, it's H &M. He'll get over it._

Before Magnus can turn around into the direction of his and Adela's table, Julian says, in a polite voice,

“So, are you the friend of the groom, or the groom?”

Magnus turns his head into Julian's direction painfully slowly, and looks at him unimpressed. Then, he just shouts:

“Ha! One for Even and ZERO for Julian!”

Julian looks at him, clearly not understanding Magnus' words which are positively _dripping_ with satisfaction.

“Uh, okay. So, who's your plus two? Are you still with Adela, or...?”

“Fuck off, Julian.”

Magnus walks past him, bumping his shoulder with his a little and goes back to his table.

He sits down next to Adela, who's apparently managed to empty half of the champagne bottle by herself by now.

“Baby, are you okay?”

She nods and hicckups.

“Sure! Who cares that the crème from my cupcakes is probably in one of the grooms' buttholes by now?”

Magnus chuckles. Her long brown hair is slightly tousled and one of the straps of her dress has fallen down to her arm. Magnus thinks she looks absolutely adorable.

“I doubt they would put it...there. They probably just put some on their nipples, or something.” She looks over at him, her expression furious but hopeless. Magnus chuckles again and gently swipes the hair falling into her eyes from her face. “I'm joking. _Most_ probably, they just went for a quickie in the bathroom and saved the cupcakes to eat later.”

 _Shit. The bathroom._ The realization slowly downs on Magnus and a small pang of panic hits him.

Adela shrugs.

“Yeah, you're right. Vilde came over to the table when you were talking with Ev and said they were some strange noises coming from the bathroom.”

Oh shit.

“Uh...which bathroom? The one on this floor?”

“Of course. The elevator is broken.”

“It _IS_?!”

Magnus leans on the back of his chair.

“Aren't there, like stairs here? This is a goddamn Hotel Plaza, or something! They have stairs here, right? And why wouldn't they fix the elevator before they throw a goddamn wedding here???”

“No, the elevator broke down about 15 minutes ago, when you walked over to Even's table. Sana texted me she's stuck there with that guy she's had a crush on forever.” Adela smirks and raises her eyebrows. “It's like a cheesy plot from a romantic comedy.”

“Wait, she's stuck there with Yousef? Did you do anything?”  
“Of course. I told Vilde to inform the staff and she texted me that they've started working on it.”

“Oh. Okay. What about those stairs, though?”

“I didn't see any stairs. Maybe they're at the back of the building. There must be more than one elevator, though. Why are you so interested in those stairs?”

“Uhhh...” Magnus runs a hand through his hair and plops his arm on the back of his girlfriend's chair, feeling weirdly exhausted. “...It's nothing.”

Adela looks at him with slight concern.

“You don't have to tell me if you don't want to...”

“I know.”

“But don't expect me to not try to lighten up your mood.” Magnus looks up at her. She wiggles her eyebrows and smiles a mischievous smile.

“Wanna dance?”

“Hm. I don't know. You just drank half a bottle of champagne.”

Adela scoffs lightly.

“Trust me, when Vilde came, she conquered that half by herself easily. Besides...”

She moves in closer to him, pecks his lips, and softly says,

“We'll just slow-dance baby.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading and let me know if you did :)
> 
> You can find me @isxev on Tumblr.


	4. A Daily Dose of Vitamins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don't have time for things that don't matter to me! Film is feeling! Film is passion! I have to do what I'm passionate about!”  
> Jonas scoffs a little and Mahdi smirks.  
> “That's a good impression of Even, man.”  
> Even makes a shocked face.  
> “How dare you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Magnus, Mahdi, Jonas, Isak and Even share a lovely lunch at their University's cafeteria.

“Stop eating them. You're here to get your daily dose of vitamins, for fucks sake. Not sugar.”

Magnus looks up at Isak, who's clearly in a mood today, since he's sitting leaned on his chair, with his hoodie over his snapback, poking at food with his fork and the only words that come out of his mouth are short insults. Magnus puts away his half-eaten cupcake and takes a good look at him. Isak looks deep in thought, staring at his bread and frowning, as if the bread was the cause of his misery. And what misery could it be? He went to a goddamn wedding with the guy he's been pining over for months, and he still finds something to be grumpy about? That's Isak for ya.

 _Oh, wait. Fuck._ A realization dawns on Magnus. _I knew Even should have sent him that message yesterday. Now it just looks like he's giving him the cold shoulder. Aw. Poor baby Isak. I'm going to have some words with Even tonight, and this time, I'm going to watch him send that goddamn text and not believe his words that “he'll do it after he takes a shower because he has to think carefully about how to phrase the sentence.” How can he be so shy about_ _ **texting**_ _the guy? It's not like he's going to stop crushing on you just because you type in “lol” one time too much in a goddamn sentence, EVEN._

Before Isak can sigh dramatically one more time in the direction of his lunch, Magnus spots Even on his way to the cafeteria's lunch counter and pokes Isak's shoulder fervently.

“You're totally right, Is. I should add some salad to my lunch. Go and get it for me, will ya?”

Isak looks at him like Magnus is out of his mind.

“ _Go get it for ya_? What am I, your personal assistant?”

“Oh, come on, Issy. The lunch lady loves you. The one who always winks at you is here today. Come on. You might be able to skip the line, even. As for me...She just doesn't recognize my charm, man. I will have to wait and before I get to her, the class will start. Please?”

Magnus offers Isak the face he always pulls when he wants Ads to do something for him. Doesn't seem to be working on Isak, though, who just scoffs and goes back to contemplating his existence while staring at his sandwich. _Huh. Who would have guessed it wouldn't work on him._

“God, Mags, if it's such a big deal for you, I'll go. She likes me too. I guess.” Jonas starts getting up, before he notices something behind Isak and promptly sits back down again. “...On second thought, she doesn't like me nearly as much as she likes you. Go get Magnus that salad if he wants it that badly.”

“Be a good bro, bro.” Mahdi suddenly chips in, devouring the rest of the cupcake he managed to swipe from under Magnus' nose a moment ago.

“What the...Why are you all so keen on Magnus making me his servant boy, or something? Is it his birthday?” He gasps quietly and turns to Magnus. “Fuck, sorry if it is. I totally forgot.”

“Uhhh, yeah! It _is_. It is. Totally. And I've been _dreaming_ about eating a salad for my birthday this year. I don't know why. I've just been craving salads all year. But then I thought, _no, I'm gonna savour that precious moment of eating a salad from our cafeteria for my bday_. Yup.”

Isak doesn't seem to be that focused on Magnus' ridiculous mumblings, and just gets up from his chair without a word. He takes a step towards the counter, then, he freezes for a moment, but decides to keep going. He stands next to Even, who's patiently waiting for his turn to order, and leaves a suspiciously big space between the two of them.

Magnus turns around to have the view of the soon-approaching spectacle, and Jonas and Mahdi put down their phones, both staring in Isak and Even's direction.

“Can you hear what they're saying?” Mahdi asks.

“I don't think they've started talking yet.” Jonas says.

“Be patient, children. Soon. Soon.” Magnus calmly adds. None of them take their eyes of their friends' backs.

Isak seems to be fidgeting a bit, but finally lets Even know of his presence, which causes Even to snap his head into his direction.

“Told ya.”

“Okay, they're talking. What now?” Mahdi is clearly enjoying the show so far.

“Now...We just hope neither of them chokes on their own spit.” Magnus shrugs.

The boys watch Isak and Even exchange the words in silence for a few minutes. They can't hear what they're saying, so they are forced to draw conclusions based solely on their body language. And their body language mostly indicates that Even is itching to put his hand on Isak's shoulder, and Isak's shoulder is itching to be touched. None of them move, though.

“This is kinda boring. Where's the development?” Mahdi opens his second bag of chips and stuffs his hand inside.

_That is a very good question, Mahdi, my friend. Where is. The. Goddamn. Development. I've been waiting for it for goddamn months._

As if on cue, a familiar figure appears and starts approaching the queue.

_Oh, for fucks sake. Not again._

“Isn't that Julian? I didn't know he goes here.”

“Yeah. Me neither, until I saw him at the wedding.”

“You saw him at the wedding? Did he talk to Isak?”

Magnus sighs and mutters a bitter,

“Barely. He _did_ though.”

“Oooh, Even's got some competition then.” Mahdi is almost done with his bag of chips. Jonas looks at him with furrowed brows and scoffs.

“There's no competition.”

“Fuck no there isn't. Like anyone compares to Even.” Magnus is too engrossed in internally cursing at Julian (who's currently talking animatedly to Isak, who only nods and glances at Even from time to time) to notice the awkward silence that falls behind him at the table.

“Anyway...” Jonas clears his throat. “What's he studying?”

“Douchebagery.” Magnus snaps right back at him, without thinking much about the answer or the venom in his voice.

Julian bids Isak and Even goodbye ( _fuck yes_ ) and the three of them immediately look down at the table once Isak and Even turn in their direction and start walking up to their table.

Isak takes his seat and Even sits down between Magnus and Jonas, opposite from Isak.

Isak almost throws the salad in Magnus' face, red from neck to ears as Even starts munching on his cheese toastie.

Silence falls between them, until Magnus realizes his cupcake is gone. He immediately looks up at Mahdi.

“I fucking swear, man...”

Mahdi shrugs with the most innocent look on his face, when Isak deadpans,

“Eat your fucking salad.”

 _Well, this is a nice atmosphere._ Magnus is sure who is to blame for it.

_Fucking Julian._

_He's not even here anymore and yet he manages to fuck everything up._

“Fuck.” Isak curses under his breath suddenly.

“What's wrong man?” Jonas asks.

“I just...” Isak huffs out a breath. “I just remembered about that test I have in chemistry next week. Fuck. I'm so behind.”

_I wonder why._

“Even was _great_ at chemistry in high school. He could help you out.” Magnus says immediately, trying not to cringe at the taste of salad in his mouth.

Isak sneaks a look at Even.

“Yeah?”

Even swallows the bit of sandwich he was holding in his mouth ever since Magnus opened his mouth to rave about his alleged talent in chemistry.

“Uhh...Sure.” He looks at Magnus, eyebrows furrowed. _I'm going to hear about this. Oh, well. It's all for a good cause._

“That's great.” Isak's face brightens and everyone at the table, except for maybe Isak, can _feel_ Even's heart skip a beat.

“I'm gonna text you tonight, yeah?” Isak starts getting up from the table and clumsily puts on his backpack.

“Yeah. Yeah. Sure.”

“I gotta go. My next class is on the other side of the building and the teacher _does not_ tolerate tardiness.”

_Nerd._

Even looks at Isak as if he had just given him the most important information he will ever receive in his life, and he only manages a nod, before Isak is walking away from their table and trips only once on his way out of the cafeteria.

_Sweet, little nerd._

A moment of silence passes between the four of them, until Even whines,

“Mags.”

“WHAT.”

“You know I don't know shit about chemistry. Or physics. Or math. Or biology. Or any of that science-y subjects. It's one of the reasons why I'm so impressed with Isak for studying that!”

“Yes, I'm sure _that's_ the reason. It's your own fault though, for only focusing on your own interests during school and doing bare minimum when it came to everything else.” Magnus deepens his voice and dramatically throws his hands in the air. “I don't have time for things that don't matter to me! Film is feeling! Film is passion! I have to do what I'm passionate about!”

Jonas scoffs a little and Mahdi smirks.

“That's a good impression of Even, man.”

Even makes a shocked face.

“How dare you?”

“How dare _you_  be upset when I just made up a perfect excuse for you and Isak to hang out?”

Even falls silent for a second, then smiles to himself.

“You're right.”

Mahdi and Jonas look at each other in disbelief.

“Man, you're easy.” Mahdi says.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing, man. Nothing. But Julian...You gotta watch out for this one.”

Even looks at Mahdi confused.

“Why?”

Mahdi opens his mouth to speak, but Jonas is quicker.

“Don't listen to him. Julian is no one. Just do your thing with Isak and take your time as much as you want.”

Even and Jonas exchange comforting smiles and Magnus has _never_ hated anyone more for advising Even to take his sweet time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading and let me know if you did.
> 
> You can find me @ isxev on Tumblr.


	5. A Goddamn Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So... Tell me more, tell me more. Did you get very far?”  
> “Did you just quote lyrics from Grease?” Even laughs.  
> “Look what you've done to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rather sappy one. Hope you enjoy!

“It's just...it's a bit weird.”

“Seriously, babe, since when studying in _silence_ is weird?”

“I mean. Two people, studying in silence for like, what? Four hours? Without a toilet break? Without a _snack_ break??” Magnus cocks an eyebrow and shoots Adela a pointed look. “I mean, _that's_ weird.” Magnus leans backwards on the couch with a huff.

“I brought them two slices of my pie an hour ago, you know that. And I'm pretty sure Ev wouldn't invite his crush without preparing _at least_ a three-course meal in advance.”

“Three courses of what? Sandwiches? He didn't have any time to cook during last week. He's been constantly buried in chemistry books. And when he finally managed to grasp some basics, and I mean, they were really _basics_ , believe me, he grilled me for half an hour to revise with him. Even _I_ knew that stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“I...don't...remember now.” Magnus stutters. “I mean, I didn't really pay attention to what he was saying.” Adela smirks and pecks him on the forehead.

“Aww. You know nothing about chemistry, do you.”

Magnus looks at her, smiles and raises his eyebrows.

“Oh, I know _a lot_ about chemistry alright. And you and I don't need any lessons on it.”

Adela giggles fondly.

“What a smooth talker you are now. And to think, that a few months before we'd started dating you almost acted like Isak when he's around Ev.”

Magnus makes a shocked face.

“I was never _that_ hopeless?”

“Mhmm.” Adela softly runs her hand through Magnus' hair.

“I mean, isn't hope the reason you're trying so hard to help them get together?”

“Yeah. But, you know what I mean.”

“I do. And you _were_ that hopeless. And if it weren't for Julian...”

“What?? Why do you have to bring _him_ into this?”

“Aw, sorry babe. I know how sensitive you are about him.”

“I'm not...I'm not sensitive. I'm angry. Or, not interested. In that subject. Like, at all.”

“Okay, baby. Let's change the subject then. Are you hungry?” Adela gets up from the couch.

“Oh, that's the subject I love!”

“That's good. Because I am hungry. Fix me a sandwich while I'm in the bathroom, okay?” Adela winks at him and walks out of the living room.

Magnus looks in the direction of the kitchen counter. Yeah, he could fix Adela a sandwich, sure. But he could do it after she's come back from the bathroom. What he could do right now without risking getting any judgmental stares though, is walk up to Even's room on his tiptoes and put his ear to the door.

For science. After all, finding out what's been going on in his room is the only lesson in chemistry he can learn something from and actually _remember_ the material.

Magnus looks over his shoulder in the direction of the bathroom twice, just to make sure Adela isn't going to suddenly jump in on him from the back, and then he takes two last steps that will guarantee him to hear at least a tiny bit of what's going on inside. He puts his ear to the door and stops breathing.

Nothing.

It sounds like no one's there. No steps, no sounds of book pages being aggressively flipped (Isak-style, while he's cramming for a test), no words, no laughter, no, well, _moans_ ( _that's a possibility, right?_ ), nothing.

_How the hell is that possible?_

_Did they leave and I didn't notice? I've been cooped up with Adela inside the house all afternoon. She came over thirty minutes after Isak did, and after that we just sat on the couch, talking and watching TV._

_What the fucking fuck? Did I miss something?_

The sudden sound of Adela swiftly opening the doors to the bathroom startles Magnus and causes him to jump a bit, then hit his nose painfully on the doorknob, which opens the door to Even's room.

“Fuuck.” Magnus brings his hands to his nose. “Adsss?” He looks up at her, hopelessly. She's standing over him with an unimpressed look.

“Oh, baby. Come on. Let's get you up.” She offers him a helping hand, but before he can reach it, he feels his arms being held up by a different pair of hands.

“You're so fucking loud.” Isak groans behind him. “Get up.” They both help Magnus, who's still trying to assess the damage done to his nose by gently touching both its tip and bridge.

“Is it...bad?” He whines pathetically.

“Shh. You're going to wake him up.” Isak shushes Magnus with clear irritation in his voice.

Both Magnus and Adela look at Isak, who immediately catches himself and avoids their curious stares.

“I mean...Ev, en. He sort of...fell asleep during our lesson.”

Magnus peeks into Even's room to find him tucked into at least two different pairs of winter blankets, even though he's wearing a hoodie over his shirt. The blankets are tucked right up to his neck, and he's comfortably laying on, as it seems, every pillow that's in his room. It looks a bit like a scene from _The Princess and the Pea_ , except there is a lanky, pale, 22-year-old Norwegian man lying on the bed instead of the princess.

Magnus takes in the view before him and looks over at Isak, only to find him staring at Even's sleeping face with the fondest look on his face, and if Magnus only looked hard enough, he could notice a small, dopey smile forming on his lips.

“Aw, he looks adorable. And so peaceful.” Adela breaks the silence between the three of them. “He doesn't like to sleep under so many layers though. He gets hot easily.”

“Shit.” Isak mutters and is about to re-enter the room to probably take off at least one layer from Even, but quickly stops himself and huffs out a, “I don't care.”

He then walks into Even's room and, careful not to wake him up, takes his backpack laying at the foot of the bed.

“Okay. I'm gonna go.” He walks past Magnus and Adela, walks up to the apartment door and starts putting on his shoes.

“Oh no, like hell you're not.” Magnus almost runs up to him. “Even's gonna kill me if he finds out you left without saying goodbye. Shit. I'm gonna wake him up, wait a minute.”

Before he can sprint back to Even's room, Magnus feels a firm grip on his shoulder.

“Don't wake him up, Mags. I left him a note saying I had to go home and study a bit more.” Magnus looks at Isak's calm face. “Let him rest.” Isak opens the door for himself. “See ya at school. Bye, Ads.”

“Bye.” Adela whispers and smiles lovingly at Isak. He gives her a short smile back and is out the door.

Magnus slowly turns to Adela and throws his hands in the air.

“What was that? Even is so going to kill me. Then himself, once he finds out he fucking fell asleep during their date.”

“This is not _Romeo and Juliet_ , Mags.” Adela dismisses him and goes into Even's room to peel off layers of blankets of him.

“I'm pretty sure Juliet didn't kill Romeo and then herself, Ads.”

“Whatever you say, baby. What about that sandwich you were going to make me?”

“Why don't you ask me how's my nose?” Mags yells from the kitchen, already putting butter on the bread.

“Because I can _see_ how it is. And it's fine.”

“There might be some internal damage or some shit!”

“Go to the doctor then and find out.”

“...Whatever. It doesn't really hurt that much anymore.” Magnus mumbles to himself and hands one of the sandwiches he's made to Even.

“Even? When did you wake up?”

Even runs a hand through his hair and plops on the couch, clearly relaxed after his nap.

“I had such a nice nap, man.” He takes a few bites of his sandwich and sighs contently. “But then I got too hot and I woke up.”

“Oh yeah. That's probably Isak's doing. He covered you in like, any possible layer he could find in your room while you were sleeping. At least that's what I think happened.”

Even's eyes widen, but before he can open his mouth to speak, Adela swipes the sandwich from his hands and hurriedly grabs her bag.

“Shit, Mags. Why didn't you tell me it's this late?”  
“Uhh...sorry.”

“I have to be at the bakery in 20 minutes. The electrician's coming to fix that awful lamp in the back that keeps going on and off whenever it feels like it.”

“Oh, thank God. I was really having trouble working with that lamp there lately.” Even sighs with relief.

“I _know_ , Even. I've already had some complaints about the quality of our cookies recently.”

“Give him a break. He's been _distracted._ ” Magnus tries to chip in, while busily trying to stuff the three sandwiches he's made for his girlfriend into a lunch box and then handing it to her, earning a quick peck on the cheek.

“What? How dare they complain about my cookies!”

“Whatever, Ev. I gotta go.”

Even and Adela exchange quick smiles and then she's gone from the apartment in a flash.

Magnus takes in the view of relaxed Even sitting on the couch with his legs and arms spread. S _omeone looks like they've just gotten some._

“Are you mad about Isak leaving without letting you know?” Magnus asks as he fixes them both a cup of coffee.

“What? No. He left me a note.”

“Oh. Okay then.” _One_ _magical_ _note it had to be then if you're satisfied with that._

“So...what happened?”

Even sighs and and smiles to himself.

“Ah...what _didn't_ happen.”

_Well, for one, sex, probably_ , Magnus thinks as he joins Even on the couch and hands him his cup of coffee.

“Thanks, Mags. You're a treasure.”

Magnus scoffs lightly at the compliment. After so many years of his friendship with Even, he still hasn't gotten used to hearing him compliment him. _Good. I can savor it more whenever it happens._ (It happens quite a lot. At least once a day. It's not like Magnus is counting though.)

“So... Tell me more, tell me more. Did you get very far?”

“Did you just quote lyrics from _Grease_?” Even laughs.

“Look what you've done to me.”

They sip their coffee in silence for a moment, until Even speaks.

“He's just...So _great_. I mean, I don't even think he needed any help with chemistry, to be honest. I was mostly just staring at him, dumbly, while he was revising and, like, teaching himself stuff. He was like, reading sentences, and then being like, _Ah! That's right! Why haven't I seen this before? It was so easy!_ ” Even chuckles fondly. “He was so cute when he did that. He made like, ten pages of notes, of which I didn't understand, like, nothing.”

“Nada.”

“Nada, Mags, I swear. He's so smart. So smart.”

“You're smart, too. You're just not passionate about chemistry.”

“I know. I just really enjoyed watching him be passionate about it. It was adorable.”

Even takes another sip of his coffee and then continues,

“And then I sat on the bed, leaned against my headboard, and after awhile I just started getting so sleepy. I think I slept like, 10 hours this week because of all that chemistry shit I was trying to get into my head. And then I wake up, and saw him just sitting in the chair, you know, the one opposite my bed.”

_Yeah. The one from which you can easily watch the person on the bed while they sleep. Yeah. I know which one._

“So I just watched him study for a bit. It was so calm and, like, comfortable, you know. And then I must have fallen asleep again. And then I woke up and found his note, and...” Even sighs again, puts his coffee mug on the table by the couch and stretches out his arms above his head. “...I just feel so _good_. It was a good day, man. One of the best ones I've had in a while.”

Magnus doesn't even know what to say. As far as he can tell, this is the first quiet conversation he's had with Even about Isak. The first conversation without his rapid-fire questions about what Isak might and might not like, without Even stressing about not looking good enough for Isak or embarrassing himself in front of him ( _too late for that_ ) or scaring him off by simply being himself around him. This is peaceful. This is good.

Magnus examines his best friend for a long moment, watching as he turns to look down on his legs and his eyes turn a bit darker, a bit quieter. Magnus knows this look. Even must be contemplating something important to him. Important probably to both him, and Isak.

After a few minutes of silence Even lets out a quiet,

“Fuck. I wanna blow him _so bad_.”

Magnus' eyes widen, but soon enough they're both laughing heartily.

“I can't believe it. He tucks you in like a goddamn princess when you're sleeping, and you're talking about sucking his dick? No wonder you're known as the romantic in the group. But now at least now you're a step closer to making your dreams come true.”

“Mamma always told me to chase after my dreams.”

“Yup.”

“Even if they're dicks.”

“Okay. One dick. Don't get greedy here.”

Even chuckles.

“I wouldn't dream of it. He's the one in my heart right now and I don't think this'll change anytime soon.”

“Aww. Buddy.” Magnus pats Even's shoulder. Even looks over at him, eyes shining and a wide grin on his face.

“So...How about you make me some of these delicious sandwiches you made for Ads, huh?”

 


	6. A Date With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Dude,” Mahdi pokes Magnus in the elbow. “This guy always flirts with you. Is that even legal?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> A few quick notes on this chapter. I think it's super noticeable that I have no idea whatsoever what Magnus could be studying at UiO so I'm leaving it up to your imagination. He shares classes with Mahdi, so you may choose to keep that in mind in your choice of subjects.
> 
> The format of this chapter is mixed. I originally planned it to be just text messages, but I ended up adding a short scene. One of the upcoming chapters is planned to be made up of only text messages, but we'll see how it goes - there is always a possibility of a last-time change when it comes to my writing.
> 
> I hope you'll be able to spot a small reference I made to one of the supporting characters of SKAM that appeared in one particular season. 
> 
> As always, I hope you'll enjoy reading!

_**EVEN** _

**12:55**

Shit Mags

I just had the best idea

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**12:56**

For what

 

_**EVEN** _

**12:56**

For how I can easily bond with Isak ofc

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**12:57**

OFC

 

_**EVEN** _

**12:57**

I'll invite him for a Star Wars marathon this week

And we'll exchange our opinions

I bet at least SOME of his fav scenes are similar to mine

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**12:59**

Wait

Why Star Wars?

 

_**EVEN** _

**12:59**

He made a reference when he invited me to come to the wedding with him

It was cute as FUCK

 

_**EVEN** _

**13:02**

Mags?

 

_**EVEN** _

**13:04**

You there?

 

 

************************************************

 

 

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:02**

Issy

Don't be prissy Issy

Answer me

 

_**ISAK** _

**13:04**

What

I'm in class

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:04**

BINGEWATCH STAR WARS

TODAY would be best

_**ISAK** _

**13:05**

??

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:05**

DO IT

When you get home

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:06**

Okay?

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:07**

ISSYYY

 

_**ISAK** _

**13:07**

Why would I watch it?

I don't have time

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:08**

Do it

for me

for the Force

for Even

 

_**ISAK** _

**13:09**

Ugh

What's going on

What are you planning?

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:09**

Even is the one who's planning

A date with you

A movie date

I'm just making sure you won't completely embarrass yourself

 

_**ISAK** _

**13:09**

WHat

What date

 

_**MAGNUS** _

**13:10**

Well I'm not gonna ask you out on it

Wait til Even does

You should be thanking me by the way

 

“Mr Fossbakken, is your cellphone _really_ that fascinating?” Magnus lifts up his head to see one of his professors (the one who always wears sweaters that are a bit too tight for him and Magnus could _swear_ he can always see the outline of his bra under them) standing right above him.

“Uh...not really. I guess. Well, not anymore.”

“What was so fascinating about it before?” The professor, a man in his 50s, stares at Magnus with his small, narrowed eyes and bangs his fingers against Magnus's desk.

“Uh...It was an emergency, actually.” Magnus gains back a bit of confidence and leans on his chair. “Personal stuff.” He throws his professor a challenging look. The man stares at Magnus for a moment longer, then turns around and huffs out a, “There is no time for emergencies in _my_ class, Mr Fossbakken.” He swirls around dramatically and looks back at Magnus with raised eyebrows. “My class is an emergency in itself.” He keeps staring at Magnus in silence, maybe expecting a witty response from Magnus (who enjoys bickering with him from time to time during his classes), but since all he gets back is a muttered “okay,” he turns around and goes back to his podium.

“Dude,” Mahdi pokes Magnus in the elbow. “This guy always flirts with you. Is that even legal?”

Magnus makes a face. “What the hell? _Flirts_ with me? Are you crazy? He hates me. He always picks on me. And he's like, 70 or something. And a _dude_.”

“Then why does he remember your last name? None of our other professors remember _any_ of our last names. I bet he only remembers yours.”

“Ugh. Whatever. That's gross.”

“Because he's a dude? Come on man. I thought you grew out of this type of thinking. And your best friend is pansexual.”

“More like Isak-sexual lately.” Magnus sighs. “And it's gross because he's a hundred years old, not because he's a dude who likes to wear bras and tight sweaters.”

“Huh. You've noticed that.”

“It's hard _not_ to.”

“He's quite fast at getting old, too. A minute ago you said he's 70, and now he's suddenly a 100.”

“Ugh. The point is that he's, like, super old.”

“Who were you texting anyway? You know he hates when students text in his class.”

When Magnus doesn't reply for a minute, catching the professor's stern eyes on him, Mahdi whispers with a smirk, “Maybe...Julian?”

“What the...?” Magnus almost raises his voice, but catches himself in time. “Why would I be texting _him_? What is up with people constantly bringing up Julian?”

“Woah, bro, chill. I was just kidding.”

“But why about _that_ guy, of all people?”  
“You said yourself you met him at the wedding.”

“Yeah, I _saw_ him and had to drag him away from Isak before _he_ dragged him into a nearby bathroom stall.”

“Well, okay. Whatever you say, bro.”

Magnus would probably be willing to argue some more, but a vibration in his pocket takes his mind off of the touchy he-who-must-not-be-named subject.

Magnus takes his phone out of his pocket and swipes the screen to unlock it.

 

_**ISAK** _

**13:19**

Thanks

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading and let me know if you did!
> 
> You can find me @ isxev on Tumblr.


	7. A Goddamn Beautiful Fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does he do it? So damn relaxed all the time. Share your secret with us lowly common folk. Quench the spitfire inside me, o mighty one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! 
> 
> Chapter 7 is upon us and the mystery of what Magnus and Mahdi are majoring in is revealed. But the reason for Magnus' deep-rooted hatred for Julian is still a riddle to be solved. Does anyone have any ideas for what the reason might be?
> 
> This chapter begins with a date that might be important to people who like to pay attention to chronology of events. A situation that will take place a few days after this date will be mentioned in one of the later chapters.

 

**17.09.2019**

 

Like every other Friday, Magnus finds him himself sharing a few beers with Isak, Jonas and Mahdi in the shared area of his and Even's apartment. Isak is met with questions about the development of his relationship with Even almost immediately after he sits down, since Mahdi has recently become the chairman of Evak fanclub apparently.

“So, what's the deal with you and Even? Is your relationship progressing?”

Isak nearly spits his beer.

“God, man. He barely sat down. Let him have a moment with his friends before you begin the Even investigation.” Jonas says as he opens his beer.

_How does he do it? So damn relaxed all the time. Share your secret with us lowly common folk. Quench the spitfire inside me, o mighty one._

“Yeah. Sure. We can pretend like we're engrossed in our conversation about sports, classes and work, but Isak knows very well we'd just be waiting for him to talk with us about _boys_.” It sounds sarcastic, but Mahdi is 100% serious when saying that.

As per usual, Magnus decides to take the matter in his own hands.

“I mean. We can talk about whatever. But wouldn't it be better to sort of, take care of the Even matters _before_ he gets home and can hear everything we're saying from his room?”

Mahdi gives Magnus an approving nod – an extremely rare occurrence and a gesture that will be definitely kept preciously in Magnus' memory.

Isak takes a big sip of his beer and sighs, shoulders slumped.

“Okay, shut up already. What do you want to know?”

Mahdi shrugs.

“Everything.”

“There's nothing to know, though.” Isak examines the floor.

“What? You've been hanging out together, right? Studying chemistry...” Mahdi starts.

“...Watching movies...” Magnus continues.

Jonas seems to have distanced himself from the investigation, and is currently offering his best friend comforting looks (Jonas-style) and sipping quietly on his beer.

Isak just sinks into his chair with his usual pout on his lips and a blush on his cheeks and takes another sip of his beer. Before Magnus can try to fish out any information about the progress, or the alleged lack of it, in Isak and Even's relationship, he feels a vibration in his pocket.

 _Oh._ Talking about awkwardly attempting to fish out information from people unwilling to give any.

 

_**EVEN** _

**21:01**

How can you tell when things are moving too fast?

 

 _What is this message._ It can only be about Isak, since that's what Even's mostly been talking about for the past few weeks. And by mostly, Magnus means a 101% of the time (that 1% goes to Even talking in his sleep – even though Magnus isn't _that_ creepy to go into Even's room during the night and try to listen to his nightly mumblings, Magnus is _pretty_ sure Even talks about Isak even in his sleep).

Magnus' first thought is to send Even an answer reading 'what are you talking about? Isak just literally said there's nothing new to talk about', but he quickly realizes that this answer would only lead to more confusion and self-deprecation on his best friend's side, so he just types,

 

**21:03**

I don't know. Depends on the situation.

 

Once he doesn't get an immediate answer, he adds,

 

**21:06**

And what **is** the situation?

 

_**EVEN** _

**21:11**

Tell you at home.

I'm on my way, be there in 10

 

 _Well._ He's being unusually mysterious. He usually spouts every single detail about the time he's spent with Isak (no matter how boring and uneventful the stories end up being).

 

Magnus goes back to his beer and realizes the subject has changed drastically since the moment he'd been paying attention. Now, the subject is completely different. So different that Magnus can barely believe how did it come to guys talking, yet _again_ , about that useless, annoying-

 

“Julian. Yeah. He was the one who recommended it to me. It turned out to be quite nice, actually. You should watch it.” Isak finishes his sentence and takes his first slice of pizza. _How can you eat and talk about that sack of douchebagery, huh, Isak? Are you that hungry, to throw yourself at him even though you've got a perfectly good, stable thing going on with Even?_

“What _about_ J u l i a n?” Magnus tries his hardest to mask the disgust present in his voice, even though just pronouncing his name takes him a good few seconds.

“Uh, we've bumped into each other. A few times.” Magnus looks at Isak incredulously, so Isak adds, suspiciously hurriedly, “In the cafeteria. And in the halls. And...uh, at the library, like, two times.”

Magnus leans back in his seat and sighs deeply.

“Wow. Great. So, no one realizes he's studying at the same school we are for a whole semester and then suddenly you see him everywhere at school?”

“Not, like, everywhere. Just sometimes, in a few places. We have some classes in the same building.”

“Oh, how convenient for him. And what does he study? Ugh. You know what? Whatever. I'm not even interested.” Magnus takes a long sip of his beer while his friends watch him in silence. If Magnus wasn't so busy being angry at the fact that Isak is, once again, talking about _fucking Julian_ , he would sense the awkwardness filling the air.

“Uhh...he's studying art history.” Isak breaks the silence, rather clumsily. “And it's pretty interesting, actually. They do a lot of cool stuff there. I think you would find some of it interesting for sure, since your major is related to that, in a sense.”

Wow. _Wow_. So now, after having a few talks with Julian, which were probably filled with that weird gay sexual tension each conversation Isak has with Julian somehow is, Isak is suddenly an expert in how art history is related to graphic design.

“I _know_ art and graphic design are related, Issy, thanks. You don't have to tell me.”

“Yeah, but...” Isak doesn't seem to be letting this subject go anywhere in the near future, it seems, and it's starting to drive Magnus mad. “Maybe you could like, use that topic to sort of, like, burn bridges with him, or something?” Isak looks at Magnus with a suspiciously intense question in his eyes, which causes Magnus to shoot him a death glare, after which Isak quietly adds, “I mean, I don't care” and goes back to munching on his half-eaten pizza in silence.

Magnus immediately feels guilty for shooting Isak down and, God knows, he can't stand to look at his hurt, pouty face for more than a minute. He clears his throat and says, in a voice that he hopes is much more calm than it was before,

“And why are you insisting on talking about Julian? Isn't that in the past? You've got a good thing going with Even now, right?”

Isak blushes slightly (God that's adorable) and quietly replies with a short “I told you nothing happened” while playing with the rim of his beer can.

Suddenly the guys hear a loud bang coming from the kitchen area and only after they turn their heads to see what caused it, they realize Even is standing behind the kitchen counter, with his back to them, looking for something in one of the cabinets.

“Uh...Even?” Magnus asks in his direction. _Shit. Fuck. Shit. Did he hear Isak say that nothing happened between the two of them? Fucking Isak. And, more importantly, did he hear how Isak was raving about that fucking art history douche? Fucking Julian, I swear. When did that emotionally fragile giraffe got here anyway? Has it been 10 minutes already? And how did we not hear him come in?_

“Sorry.” Even turns around to face them, offers them a small, apologetic smile while his eyes linger on Isak. “That stupid cabinet didn't want to shut so I had to force it close. Sorry for the noise.”

“It's okay, man.” Jonas says casually.

“Uh, I'm gonna go to my room. Lots of homework.”

_It's fucking Friday, man._

Even quietly retreats to his room with his cup of tea _that_ _he apparently managed to make himself_ while the guys were talking and both Magnus and Isak dramatically plop their backs on their seats with a sigh.

“I wonder how long he was standing there.” Isak says quietly, eyes glued to his beer can again.

“He came in like 10 minutes ago, I think? I don't know. Isak was talking about how art history and graphic design are related and stuff.” Mahdi says with his mouth full of pepperoni pizza.

Fucking _great_. Magnus knows the look Even had on his face when he was turning away from them to go to his room. That fucking look of quiet desperation and rejection. _Nobody's rejected you yet, you goddamn beautiful fool. I mean, yeah, maybe the guy you've been head over heels in love with said that nothing happened between you even though in your head something clearly did, but. Still._

“Ugh. Fucking Julian”, is all that comes out of Magnus' mouth under his breath.

_Look what you did, you fucking back-stabbing douche._


	8. A Blessed Italian Dish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, you poor, hot thing. Nobody wants you. And you just want to bring pleasure, don't you.

_**MAGNUS** _

Guys

Guys

 

Guys hey

Is anybody here????

 

_**JONAS** _

What's going on

 

_**MAHDI** _

We already have a groupchat Mags

 

_**MAGNUS** _

I KNOW

That's why I made a new one without Isak

 

_**JONAS** _

What is it this time Mags

Isak's birthday isn't until June

 

_**MAGNUS** _

I know DUH

I wanted to ask you guys what's up with Isak lately

 

_**MAHDI** _

What do you mean?

 

_**JONAS** _

Everything's cool

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Like hell it aint COOL

He's been avoiding me and not talking to me and he's been giving me like, one word-answers when I text him

 

_**MAHDI** _

Oh yeah that means something's up

He usually replies with 2 words

 

_**MAGNUS** _

You know what I meaann

 

_**JONAS** _

He's normal with me

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Ok we know you know EVERYTHING but you won't tell us but be at least a bit helpful, yeah?

 

_**JONAS** _

….....

 

_**MAHDI** _

He's been pretty chill around me to

 

_**MAGNUS** _

What do you mean around you? How often do you guys meet up? We haven't had our usual Guys Night in like 2 weeks wtf

 

_**JONAS** _

Guys Night

 

_**MAHDI** _

We meet at school and we went for a kebab like 3 days ago or something

The usual

You've seen him at school

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Yeah I've SEEN him

But I haven't talked to him, like, heart-to-heart in a while!

 

_**JONAS** _

Heart to heart. Dude

 

_**MAHDI** _

Yeah when was the last time you've had a heart-to-heart with Isak? In kindergarten?

 

_**MAGNUS** _

You know we didn't know each other then and I've had lots of heart-to-hearts with Even in kindergarten if you MUST KNOW

 

_**JONAS** _

Here we go

Boasting about Even

What's been going on with him lately? Everything good?

 

_**MAGNUS** _

UH no

He's been suspiciously quiet as well

I don't know what the hell is going on

 

_**MAHDI** _

Maybe nothing is going on

 

_**JONAS** _

Quietness is usually an indicator of that

 

_**MAHDI** _

Nice

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Ugh I know SOMETHING'S going on!

But for some reason Even is not sharing with me anymore????

 

_**MAHDI** _

Time to grow up man

Let it go

Let him have his secrets

 

_**MAGNUS** _

We don't have secrets though

 

_**MAHDI** _

Time to start having them apparently

Since Even already started without you

 

_**JONAS** _

Ouch

But yeah Mags maybe it's time to stop clutching onto Even's skirt and let the guy breathe a bit

No matter how good he looks in skirts, **we know**

 

Come on

Mags

 

Mahdi say sorry god

 

_**MAHDI** _

I aint saying anything

#exceptthetruth

 

_**JONAS** _

Mags

It'll be okay

He'll open up eventually

 

_**MAGNUS** _

It's just....

It was going so well??

And then Even walks in on us talking about, you know wHAT, and then he shuts himself off for like 2 weeks??

 

_**JONAS** _

I'm sure that wasn't the reason bro

He probably has a lot of school work

 

_**MAGNUS** _

If he did he'd be constantly asking me to revise with him

 

_**MAHDI** _

Maybe Isak's the one helping him revise now?

 

 _Ugh. This is useless_ , Magnus thinks and flops on his bed. _16:44. Even's classes ended 30 minutes ago. He should be here soon. Then, he goes to work. Okay. I've got 20 minutes to get him to talk. Maybe he'll open up this time. The pizza guy should be here any minute._ (And if there's anything Magnus knows for sure is that Even always comes home starved after classes and freshly delivered pizza is a sure thing to make him talk. He _loves_ it. Chewing on that pizza crust and pulling on that gross, fat cheese that always sticks out of his mouth when he's eating it. It's freaking adorable. And he always gets in a better mood when he's eating hot pizza. And when he's in a better mood, he talks. A lot.)

Magnus hears the familiar sound of an incoming message in the groupchat.

 

_**MAHDI** _

Maybe ask Julian?

They've been hanging out a lot lately

 

Magnus' eyes widen and he almost breaks his thumb trying to type in as many exclamation marks as he can after IWOULFD NEVVR ASKHIMABTANYTINANW HY IS ISAK STIL TAKINT OHIMMM, but before he can click 'send' he changes his mind and decides to be as polite and calm as he can while talking about that shitsack (for a change).

 

_**MAGNUS** _

WHY WOULD U ASSUME I HAVE His number

??????????????

 

_**MAHDI** _

You mean **still** have his number

 

_**JONAS** _

He hasn't changed it

 

_**MAGNUS** _

YOU Have his number???

 

_**JONAS** _

Yeah I asked Isak for it

 

_**MAGNUS** _

FHHGV

 

_**JONAS** _

He probably still has yours

 

_**MAHDI** _

No, Mags changed it

I gave Julian his new one

 

_**MAGNUS** _

YOUDIwhhh

 

Magnus hears a soft thump in the kitchen area and immediately rushes out of his room. _Fuck. Wasn't pizza guy supposed to be here already? Fucking pizza guys._

“Hey! I ordered pizza!” Magnus breathes out the second he reaches the kitchen counter and (totally casually) leans on it.

“Oh, okay.” Even smiles faintly and pours himself a glass of water.

“Gotta be at work in 15, though.”

“The pizza guy should be here soon. Like, now, actually. And there's always time for pizza, right?”

“Right.” Even chuckles.

Step One – Even coming home hungry after classes – completed (granted, Magnus didn't actually have to do anything himself to complete this step, but, still. It's done.)

Aand, there's the bell. Magnus almost yells 'Step Two!' out loud but catches himself in time and sprints to the door.

“Hello. Here's you-”

“I have a coupon! Thanks!” Magnus showes the (hopefully not expired) coupon into pizza guys' hands and shuts the door in his face.

“Wow, you're hungry, Mags.” Even says as they're sitting down on the couch to share the pizza. “Thanks for waiting for me.”

“Aw, no problem, buddy.”

Step Two and a Half – getting Even in a better mood through ordering the blessed Italian dish – almost complete.

Magnus opens the pizza box and (very discreetly) slides it into Even's direction, but before he can even open his mouth, Even's phone is going off with a ring tone Magnus has never heard before.

Even is already standing up from the couch, not even having answered the phone call yet. He swipes his screen and stutters a bit, before muttering a “uh” and “yeah” two times and putting the phone back into the pocket of his jeans.

_Why is he wearing those tight jeans today? He usually wears his old baggy ones to work._

“Sorry, Mags, Ads has a ton of clients today. Gotta go.”

“Uh...okay. At least take a bite before you go.”

“Eh...I better not.” Even is already putting on his coat and walking towards the door.

“No, you have to eat before work!”

“I'll just grab a bite on the way.” Even is fumbling with his shoelaces and Magnus is left to stand in the middle of their shared area to act like a very worried, confused (and a rather muscular) housewife.

“It'll take more time to buy something on the way, though.”

“Uh, sorry Mags. Gotta go. Sorry.” Even stops by the mirror to fix his hair a bit and steps to the door.

_Well, I guess fuck you, Step Three. You ain't getting any tonight._

“Wait. What was that ring tone?”

“Uh, Ads likes that song.”

“What's it called? I've never heard it before.”

“The Final Countdown.”

_Huh. I'm going to ask Ads about it._

“Okay, sorry again Mags. I'll make it up to you.”

“It's okay, man. It's work. You can't do anything about it.”

“Yeah. Still.” Even attempt-winks at Magnus in that adorable way that Magnus does not adore (he enjoys his best friend's winking skills the usual amount a friend would, thank you very much) and runs out the door.

Magnus is left standing alone in the middle of their living room and looks at the abandoned pizza. _Oh, you poor, hot thing. Nobody wants you. And you just want to bring pleasure, don't you._

Magnus takes a lonely seat on the couch. Then, he takes a lonely bite of the Italian beauty in front of him. He nearly spits it out when he sees the message notification on his phone.

 

_**UNKNOWN** _

Hi, it's Julian.

Mahdi gave me your number, I hope you don't mind (he assured me you wouldn't)

I heard you wanted to talk about Isak?

 

 _What the fuck?_ Killing Mahdi just became Magnus' official agenda for tomorrow. And what is Magnus even supposed to say? He hates leaving people hanging (it has been done to him too many times in the past). Still, it's J u l i a n. It's not like he deserves a well thought-out message or anything. _Ugh. Fuck off, Julian._

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Ugh fuck off julian

 


	9. A Fucking Slaughterhouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, fuck. Mags.”  
> Oh, fuck is right indeed.

_I guess sometimes things end up this way. Unresolved. Half bitten. Put back at the shelf. Left to be covered in dust. Sometimes things sizzle but never boil. They sizzle and they're hot enough that you can't put your hand in the water yet you still can't drink it. Cause it'll be, you know, not entirely boiled. Or something. The water I mean. Fuck. I should be a fucking poet._

Magnus walks up the stairs to his and Even's apartment, body slumped and steps he's taking heavy. He's been down for the past two weeks – the weeks of excruciating silence between him and his best friend since the age of five. Well, maybe not _complete_ silence, but still, considering how much him and Even used to talk in the past (Ah! The past! Seems so sweet now, and _so_ filled with the heavenly sound of Even's voice) it could have been considered radio silence. Ever since the J u l i a n I n c i e n t Even's been distant and reserved towards Magnus. No matter how many times Magnus had tried to make him talk, or at least make him open up a bit, Even's been only keen on exchanging brief information about how his days have passed. And, apparently, they've been passing on finishing his long-overdue projects at school, tests and hanging out with his Bakka crew to edit the short film they were preparing for one of their classes. Well, great. It's not like Magnus _needs_ to hear every boring detail of what's been happening with Even at school or work (and Adela's not been extremely helpful in providing any concrete information about what's going on there either. “It's been busy, Magnus. Lots of clients. What else do you want me to say?”). He can live off of the lousy crumbs Even's been throwing at him lately. Until he comes around. Who the hell knows what's happened between him and Isak after that damned J u l i a n i n c i d e n t ( _Fuck you, Julian_ ). Maybe Even is trying to heal his broken heart.

Still, Isak would have been perfect for Even, Magnus is positive. He's totally Even's type – both physically and personality-wise. That's what Magnus' first thought was when he and Isak started hanging out more together in high school. “ _Damn if he isn't Even's perfect guy._ ” But, Even was with Sonja back then and what kind of friend would Magnus be if he tried to get Even together with someone while Even was in a relationship with somebody else? And Sonja is pretty cool anyway and Magnus would have _hated_ to be the cause of anything bad between them. But, once they graduated and started their oh-so-fascinating student life at UiO, a few months after Even and Sonja had broken up, it was pretty clear that the time for Magnus to take action had finally come. An action to bring some gay lovin' together. Well, gay and pansexual lovin'. Whatever. The point is, that he was on his mission to make some not-straight lovin' happen. Between his best friend, a blessed human being with the purest heart he's ever known, and, well, a grump with a pretty face. But that grump has turned out to be a loyal friend (especially during their final year in high school) and a great companion (and a surprisingly blunt advice-giver). And if that's what not Even's type has been since they'd gotten to know each other at a young age, then Magnus doesn't know what Even's type is at all. Also, Even saying that Isak is “hot as fuck and cute as a button factory” after he saw him for the first time on the first day of their classes at university helped Magnus with making his decision about becoming The Guy Who Made Evak Happen.

But, oh WELL. Maybe Evak was this epic love story Magnus had built up in his head after having watched too many romance movies with Even (on Even's request each time, of course, it's not like Magnus came to love them after a while and started asking him to watch some with him).

 

Finally, Magnus reaches the door to their apartment. It sometimes feels like they live on the seventh floor, even though they live on the third. _Can't they fucking fix that elevator already?_ It's been over five months since him and Even had been forced to go up the stairs on foot for the first time (and they were both drunk the first time they had to climb them, so the experience wasn't the best one for neither of them). Before Magnus manages to fish out his keys from the bottom of his backpack (he can't crush the cupcakes from Adela, that would be disrespectful towards her hard work and all the love she's put into making them, okay? The cupcakes _need_ to go on top of whatever he's carrying in his backpack each time. Which is mostly condoms and Even's old cookbooks when Magnus visits his girlfriend), he hears an unfamiliar, high-pitched sound from his and Even's apartment.

_A girl? Did Even invite a girl? He never invites girls over. He usually hangs out with his Bakka crew._

_Wait. Did he....move on? From Isak? Is that the reason he hasn't been exchanging more than 10 words at a time with me for the last two weeks?_

_Fuck, man. I don't want to have to stand the view of some pretty empty-headed girl Even chose for a rebound for the next however-long until his broken heart mends._

_For fucks sake, J u l i a n. Now I'm going to have to socialize with some random girl who's heart is going to get broken sooner or later once Even decides that the situation both him and the girl are in is clearly wrong. And the girl's heart is surely going to get broken. Because she'll surely fall in love with Even before he manages to clears his mind and decides to cut any fake ties between them. Because who wouldn't fall in love with Even? They've probably slept like twice by now and she's totally gone already._

_Fuck._ If there's one thing Magnus hates more than the sight of J u l i a n, it's definitely the sight of a person who carries a broken heart. Even if the person is just a random, unlucky rebound in Even's life.

Magnus is going to definitely have a talk with Even about this. He won't hear any more excuses for not having a genuine talk and he won't let Even get away this time. Not if there's a chance of more people getting hurt.

Magnus cautiously unlocks the door, trying not to make any unnecessary noise that might alert Even or the Random Girl of his presence. He doesn't even want to go in. He'd rather go back to Adela and cry on her shoulder a bit more about the state of his and Even's friendship while he helps her make batter for more cupcakes (the condoms didn't really come in handy during today's visit), but he knows he'll have to face the Random Girl sooner or later anyway. And his legs are so fucking tired. He'll just sit around in his room for a while while wearing sound-proof headphones and everything will be fine.

Magnus opens the door and is immediately met with the litany of the weirdest sounds mixed with some intense grounds he's only ever heard the few times he's visited the gym that was in the closest proximity to his and Even's apartment (which he stopped visiting immediately after he managed to bump into none other than fucking J u l i a n three times in a row. _What the fuck? Is the guy stalking me or something? Fuck off, Julian._ ) and a bunch of “uhs” and, well, pretty desperate yet satisfied “uh-huhs.”

 _Fuck. It's much worse than I'd thought it'd be. It's like a fucking slaughterhouse in here. Are they performing a ritual in there or something? Slicing up virgins? Well, Even was known for the “virgin slicer” when he attended Bakka before he and Sonja started dating, but still. It was just an ugly way to refer to his popularity with both guys and girls, not an actual thing that's ever happened. This, one the other hand – oh, man. What the fuck are they doing in there?_ And the sounds they're making change from extremely low to extremely high. Wait. Did someone just laugh? That wasn't Even. Magnus _does_ _know_ that fucking sound, though.

“Wait, baby, wait a minute. I'm going to get you that water. God, babyyy---”

 _Oh-oh._ Magnus instantly realizes he's been standing frozen by the entrance door. _Okay now._ How to make it look like you were not just listening in on the loudest, weirdest sex your best friend since the age of five was having? _Uhhh. Do I, like, try to sneak into my room? No way in hell that's going to work, since Even's room is closer to the entrance than mine. I would have to pass by his room and the door to it are already opening anyway---_

“Oh, fuck. Mags.”

_Oh, fuck is right indeed._

Magnus has been pretty strict about his recent rule of _not-walking-around-the-house-naked-anymore-EVEN_ so he hasn't been pleasantly forced to watch his roommate slash best friend walk around with his ass and dong out so the sight of Naked Even hits him even harder than it would have if Even was still allowed to nonchalantly saunter through the apartment in an attire as casual as the one he was wearing when his momma pushed him out her blessed vagina.

And now it's even worse if he'd walked out of the shower or out of the bed on a particularly hot day. He's literally walked out of his room where he now _definitely_ was having sex and not murdering some innocent animal that was to be sacrificed in some ungodly ritual. He most definitely was having sex in there. Lots of sex. Sweaty, uninhibited sex you have with someone you've been dying to have sex with for months and now you've got the place to yourself. _Wait..._

“Ev, where's that water damnit? Babyyyyyyyyyyyy.”

 _Oh, what the fuck._ That was the whiniest whine Magnus has ever heard. And it came from Even's room. And it was definitely _not_ the Random Girl Magnus has been mentally preparing himself to meet once he stepped inside this house. Or, a fucking slaughterhouse. He hasn't made his mind about this one yet.

“Uh...” Even runs a sweaty hand through his almost-fucking-totally-wet-as-he's-just-stepped-out-of-the-shower hair. _Oh no, don't do that. That only makes this whole situation worse._

“In a minute.” Even is clearly feeling torn between exchanging a few words with Magnus and going in the direction of the kitchen to get water. And suddenly, it clicks. Magnus' presence would make Even's guest uncomfortable. And they clearly didn't hear him come in. So, there's only one thing Magnus can do. There's only one thing a good friend would do in this situation.

Before Even can make up his mind about what to do and how to act while doing it, Magnus turns around, opens the door and is out of the apartment without making a single sound. Though he's pretty sure that the beating of his heart could have been heard all over the apartment. Or, the fucking slaughterhouse.

Magnus leans his back on the door. Tries to take slow, deep breaths. One, two, three. _Sloowly. That's what you taught Even to do when things get too much for him sometimes. Wait, no. Not Even. Don't think about Even. Or his sweaty body. Or his hair. Or the hand that wss running through it. Or that well-fucked expression he was wearing on his face. Or that giant monster that was definitely not as limp as it usually is when he used to stroll around the house. Calm down. Calm down. Calm the fuck---_

Before Magnus can think of anything else, he slumps his body on the floor and tries to fish out that goddamn phone that's in his trousers. _Fuck. Sweaty hands. Shaking. Why the fuck am I shaking so much?_

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Ads

Ads

Baby

 

_**BABY <3** _

Yeah baby? What happened?

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Fuck if I know

I'm fucking traumatized

 

_**BABY <3** _

What happened???

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Can I come over?

I'll help you make batter or put sprinkles on the cupcakes I promise I wont bother you

 

_**BABY <3** _

Of course you can come baby

You're not a bother

 

_**MAGNUS** _

I'd just been to a fucking slaughterhouse

 

_**BABY <3** _

Oh no :(

You saw Even have sex didn't you

 

_**MAGNUS** _

FUCK

THEY'VE BEEN FUCKING FUCKING ALL ALONG

HOW MUCH DID I NOT KNOW?

WAS IT THE FIRST TIME?

I DON'T FUCKING KNOWWW

 

_**BABY <3** _

What do you need baby?

 

_**MAGNUS** _

A fucking hug would be nice I guess

 

_**BABY <3** _

Anything you want <3

 

_**MAGNUS** _

Be there in 10

Fuck it, 5

I'm gonna run


	10. A CloudNine Isak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It can be whatever.

“What was her name? Astrid? Sigrid?”

“Frida?”

“Iben?”

“Where do you get these names from?” Magnus attempts to swallow another piece of salad Even had prepared for him and left him on the kitchen counter before he left for classes this morning with the note that read simply: _EAT_.

“I don't know. I heard someone say her name once. But we'll never know I guess, for sure. What did we call her?”

“Skrulle. Everyone at school was calling her that.”

“What did you go to her for?”

“Some sleeping pills for Isak. He didn't want to go himself and I had some time after classes that day. She didn't give me any. But she did advise me to make like, notes, each day, short ones, to monitor “my” sleeping habits. She also told me to not be high when I visit her next time.”

“Did you visit her again?”

“Nah, man. I didn't have a reason. Besides, I was high.”

Magnus finishes his salad with a look of pure disgust on his face (even though the salad Even had prepared for him tasted much better than the salad he'd gotten from the here last time) and pushes the empty plastic box away from him, as if to say: _Here. Done. That's enough vitamins for today, thank you very much._

“But it helped, Mags. These notes Isak started taking after I'd visited her. So maybe you should do it, too. To, like, sort out your thoughts and stuff.”

“I don't want to 'sort out my thoughts and stuff'. I want to forget about what I saw, man. And it's been awkward as fuck since then.”

“Why has it been awkward? Maybe you're making it awkward?” Mahdi opens his usual bag of chips he manages to devour each time they meet at the cafeteria once a day for their long break between classes.

“Oh, yeah. Even's pretty open about dangling his junk around, isn't he? You've told us that before.” Magnus can't recall _one_ time when Jonas said 'junk' ever since they'd met in high school, yet _now_ he decides it's the right time to say it.

“Yeah, maybe he's _too_ open about it. Maybe it's finally time for some ground rules between us.”

“Oh, wow. I didn't think you'd be the one to set them. I thought it'd be Even, if anyone.” Mahdi raises his eyebrows and an amused smirk appears on his face.

Magnus sighs. He doesn't really have a comeback for that, since he doesn't really want to set any ground rules. Maybe he wishes Even would simply stop his habit of being so uninhibited about his body on his own, without Magnus having to say anything. It's not like Magnus has been saying that much to Even since the Random Girl Incident anyway (Magnus isn't going to call it the Isak Incident, thank you very much. That would trigger _too many_ and _too vivid_ memories and that is the thing he definitely does _not_ want.)

“Oh, talking about Even. The love bird's approaching.” Mahdi says with a stuffed mouth, raising his chin in the direction of Isak, who's just entered the cafeteria.

_Look at him. Cloud nine. His feet are barely even touching the ground. Where's his snapback? I'm pretty sure he had it when we met in the hallway in the morning._

“God, look at his hair. Someone had a good time in the broom closet.” Mahdi chuckles fondly.

_His hair is one thing, but his lips? This is the puffiest, reddest shit I've seen in like, well. Forever, I guess. Or at least since I've stopped watching so much porn after I've started dating Ads I guess._

Isak plops on the chair between Magnus and Mahdi, while smiling like a fool and scanning his surroundings absentmindedly.

“Not getting anything? You have, like,” Mahdi looks at is phone to check the time. “3 minutes to eat something.”

“Nah, I've eaten.” Isak giggles to himself and takes out his phone to type something. His smile stretches so wildly that Magnus is starting to think he's sitting next to the Joker.

“I bet you did. We're happy you've decided to grace us with your presence at all.”

“Oh, yeah. I wanted to tell you guys that I won't be able to make it on Saturday.” Isak doesn't even look up from his phone and it's hard to tell what exactly he's saying because of the huge smile he has plastered on his face.

“Oh yeah, no problem.” Neither Mahdi or Jonas seem fazed. Magnus is sitting in dull silence, not knowing what to think about anything and too tired to ask Isak about the progress of his relationship with Even like he usually would.

Jonas seems to notice the lack of Magnus' usual cheeriness and leans in to him.

“I think you should try with the notes. Maybe it'll help you to feel better, whatever's bugging you.” He shrugs. “Just write, like, about your surroundings, or what you do at home or at school. It can be whatever.” Magnus tears his eyes off CloudNine Isak and looks over at Jonas. When he sees his slightly worried expression, he gives him a small, grateful nod.

“Thanks. Maybe I'll try doing that.”

 


	11. A Local Native

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reading's just as good.

“Mags?”

Magnus opens his eyes and raises his head from his pillow. _Huh. I've fallen asleep again. That's what happens when you keep your promise to listen to your girlfriend's favorite album._

“Yeah?” Magnus' voice is rasp from his unintentional nap. He sits up on the bed to see Even peeking in through the half-open door to his room and runs a hand over his face.

“What's up?”

“Uh, nothing. I was just wondering what you're doing.”

“I was apparently listening to...let me see...” Magnus unlocks the screen and looks at the name of the band of the playlist that's ended a long time ago. “A Local Native? No, wait, Local Natives. But then I fell asleep.”

“Oh, yeah, the local guys. Yeah, they're great. Well, great if you want to take a nap apparently.” Even chuckles and walks into the room and promptly sits on the edge of Magnus' bed.

“How have you been?”

It's Thursday, late afternoon, the streets are quiet and dark (as is his room) and, apparently, Magnus is going to finally talk to his best friend he hasn't exchanged more than a hundred words with these last three weeks (the longest three weeks of his life, too.)

Magnus' heart starts pounding quietly, contently. Maybe they'll talk, like they used to. For some reason, the first thing that Magnus wants to do is to assure Even of the fact that he's not in any way upset with him and that there's nothing he wants more than for things to go back to how they were when they were, well, in each other's faces all the time.

“Uh...Good. I know you've just started a new relationship so I wanted to give you some space to you know, “bond” with the lucky guy, but other than that, everything's been the same. I mean, between us. Everything's good.”

Even lowers his gaze and smiles sadly while examining Magnus' duvet.

 _Uh-oh. I know this face. The Even Guilt Face. You didn't do anything wrong, you goddamn beautiful fool. Okay. How do I fix the thing I'd just said? Because it apparently needs fixing, since Ev's reaction is not a blinding smile and a monologue that starts with “did you know what a great guy Isak really is?”_ (Which Magnus does, by the way, otherwise he would not have been so desperate to get them together as he was not too long ago before it turned out, that somehow, they've already been “bonding.”)

“Okay. Uh...I've been, sort of, keeping a journal for the last week? Like, okay, maybe not a journal, but, someone advised me to, like, write down my observations and stuff? Maybe not observations, but just, like, things that occur around me, or my moods and things like that. I was feeling kind of down---totally not your fault by the way, totally not related to you---and so I've been trying to do that. Yeah.”

Even's face lights up with his usual smile he has on his face whenever Magnus starts rambling. He raises hie eyebrows a bit.

“Did it help? With your disposition?”

“Uh, disposition. You make it sound serious or something. Yeah, I guess it helped. It's good to put stuff down on paper I guess.”

There's a moment of silence between them, less uncomfortable than it was before, but still not comfortable enough for Magnus to feel satisfied with it. Before he can think, he blurts out,

“I mean. You can read it, I don't mind. You'll see everything's okay with me.”

“I don't know, Mags. Isn't that private?”

“Uh. Private-shrivate. You know I hate keeping stuff from you. I mean, there are no secrets there or whatever so you can read.” Magnus is already reaching for his drawer to fish out the brightly pink notebook Adela once left at his place by a mistake when she stayed over for the first time. Magnus found it while on his search for any piece of paper he could find in his room that would be fitting for writing anything on. “I mean. If you have nothing better to do then you can read it. I won't mind.” He hands the notebook to Even, who takes it, rather hesitantly, but smiles.

“What's better for me to do than reading your stuff? Well, besides fucking Isak I guess.” They both chuckle. “I wouldn't mind just hearing about whatever you've written about in there, but reading's just as good.”

“Yeah. You don't have to do it now. Just, whenever you feel like it.”

“I'll read it the minute I get back from Isak's. I'm leaving in 5 minutes. Just wanted to make sure you're okay before I left.”

Magnus scoffs lightly and smiles. “Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?”

 


	12. A Slip of the Tongue on Paper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watch me.

_**Ads** _

Damn these are good. They're always good. Sometimes I wonder, do they taste the same to everyone who eats them? Or do they taste better to me, because I love the one who made them? I don't fucking know. I'll never know.

 

 

_**Evak** _

It's been two days since the Random Girl accident. And the Random Girl is back. The only difference is, it's not a girl. And it's definitely not a random person. Not to me, not to Even. Feels weird, kinda. I don't know why. I wanted this.

 

 

_**Evak** _

They're at it again. I hope they're not at what I'm thinking they're at, though. They're being pretty quiet anyway. In Even's room, while I'm in mine. I'm going to Ads'.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

Where the fuck did he come from again. God. How did he even get accepted here? What do I know. I don't know what grades he had anyway.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

Probably his parents got him in. Rich boy.

 

 

_**Evak** _

I just heard them trying to up one another with the classic 'no, you're the cutest' shit. They're both cute as fuck. What's the problem here. I guess it's just that lovebirds banter stuff. I probably did that with Ads a lot too. I'm pretty sure we did.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

I saw him when I was going out of the apartment. All sweaty and shit. Probably out of that gym he made me stop going to after the three times I saw him there.

 

 

_**Ads** _

Did we do that?

 

 

_**Ads** _

I want to ask Ads about it but I'm a bit scared she'll be upset with me for not remembering. I usually remember all the things we do. Most things. The ones that matter the most to me I guess. When we have sex or when we talk about what we would like to be doing in the future. When we eat and laugh together. I love doing that. It never gets boring. It's always good.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

I really wanted to work out a bit. Get my juices flowin'. Work on some muscle. Shit like that. I'm not going to drive two hours to walk on a treadmill though.

 

 

_**Ads** _

There weren't that many customers today. This whole week, really. I've been bugging Ads a bit about staying at her workplace. I did some homework. I can focus here better. And the sweet smell makes me melt. Her presence is calming. I can hear her attending to customers. She's always so nice. She's so good at what she does.

 

 

_**Ads** _

There really aren't that many customers. Was Even lying when he said he had to go to Ads to help her with the clients?

 

 

_**Ev** _

I know it's a small lie.

 

 

_**Evak** _

I'm pretty sure they were dryhumping on the couch in the living room when I walked out of my room. I just wanted to make myself a sandwich. That's not a lot to ask for.

 

 

_**Ev** _

Ev just came in to my room and brought me like five sandwiches. With pickles, mayonnaise and everything. They were delicious.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

I'm not going to let myself be pushed around. And these cupcakes Ads keeps making aren't really helping. I'm going to that gym tomorrow.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

He wasn't there, thank God. I don't know if he missed an appointment or if he doesn't come in on Thursdays but I will definitely be coming in on Thursdays from now. Watch me.

 

 

_**Ads** _

I don't really know what's wrong. I mean, Ads isn't complaining. She likes it when we just fool around and talk or when I pretend to help her with the baking. It's fun. She loves it. And I do too. But it wouldn't help to get an orgasm or two while I'm at hers. She'd like that too I bet.

 

 

_**Evak** _

This is Isak's second time he's missed our usual hangout. Not that I mind. They probably meet up at Isak's since Jonas is with us then. And Jonas was stalling today, too. 'One more beer, guys. Maybe we'll order another pizza? We'll share it.' He even offered to pay for it. That's a good bro who has your back when you want to have the house for yourself when you want to get laid. I should be more like that with Ev. Give him space. Not ask around if he's clearly not eager to tell me stuff. I can be okay with it.

 

 

_**Evak** _

I'm pretty sure Even was just about to give Isak a blowjob in the kitchen before I came in from Uni. They have like, no self control. Made me a bit horny though. I'm going to Ads'.

 

 

_**Ads** _

Well that turned out like always. I learned a new recipe. I think soon I'm going to be able to actually use the oven.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

 

He was there. I only bumped into him on the way out, thankfully. He was all like 'hi' and shit. Fuck off.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

What does he want from me anyway? It's not like he needs to pretend to be a good guy. Too late now anyway. Now he can openly be a douchebag.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

Isak's keep falling for that fake demeanor of his, it seems. What the fuck?

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

 

He's basically all over Ev when he's over at our place and then he goes around being all friendly with that asshole at school? Not cool.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

Okay. I don't know what's going on between them. And he and Even have been fucking for however-long before I found out. What if he's doing the same with that guy? Fuck.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

Isak wouldn't do that though. Right?

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

Fuck.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

He came over to me while I was lifting weights today (yeah, I upgraded my working out schedule, pretty proud). I didn't even know he was there until he came over? Fuck off. I don't want to see you all gross and sweaty and trying to talk to me for whatever reason.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

I hate him so much

 

 

_**Evak** _

I'm trying to focus on my assignment but all I can hear are those hysterical giggles coming from Even's room. Is Ev suddenly a comedian? I've never heard Isak laugh like that.

 

 

_**Ads** _

Okay. It was my first time. Her face scrunched a little but she was gracious enough to lie and say they were edible.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

I'm done. I think I'm going to text him and ask what his deal with Isak is.

 

 

_**Drittsekk** _

I didn't text him.

 


	13. A Slip of the Tongue in the Doorway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Fuck) I love you.

Once he gets to the last sentence of Magnus' barely-eligible notes he apparently wrote while angry, horny or in a hurry, Even flips through the notebook in search for any more possible notes (not because he's nosy, but because Magnus would surely like him to read everything, of course), but he finds only a short recipe for a cheesecake at the last page of the notebook. He recognizes Adela's handwriting and closes the notebook. Takes a deep breath. _Well, we're in deep shit_ , he thinks. Then, he hears his phone buzzing on the nightstand and reaches for it. Swipes the screen. Gets an instant hard-on.

Isak had just sent him a naked selfie (if you don't count the snapback he has on). Well, half-naked, because Even can only see Isak's body down to his hips and what a great idea it is to cut out the lower half of the body when you want to get your man to instantly run two fucking kilometers to your house, most probably in the sweatpants he's in (sweatpants that are getting increasingly tighter around his crotch area). A moment after the selfie arrives, a text message appears.

 

_**ISSYBABY <33333333** _

Jonas is out

 

Before he can even think, Even types in the first thing that comes into his mind, heart and penis, and clicks 'send'. Only after he'd done it, all blood rushes from his face after the realization of the weight of the message he'd just sent hits him.

 

_**EVEN** _

Fuck I love you

 

Okay. He acted on instinct. Told Isak he loves him, because, duh, he does, but what now? _Fuck._ The first thing his instinct tells him to do after he'd sent this _horrendous, life-threatening_ message is to clutch the notebook sitting on his lap, grab his phone and run to the room next to his.

“Fuck, Mags, I just told Isak I loved him????” Even barges into Magnus' room to find him slumped over his homework at his desk. What greets him is a smile wider than he'd seen from his friend in weeks, followed by a sigh that could only be interpreted as a sign of relief.

“Yeah?” Magnus turns around on his chair to look at distressed Even, already sitting on his bed.

“Yeah. Yeah. Fuck yeah. He'd sent me a naked selfie, I mean, not entirely naked, because he never sends me photos of his dick,” Even rolls his eyes. “and then I was like, 'Fuck I love you??????' What did I do, Mags???”

“Sounds like you just told your boyfriend you love him.” Magnus shrugs with a huge grin on his face.

“Yeah, my boyfriend of _3 weeks_ , Mags! 3 weeks! What if it scares him away? Or, if he thinks I'm being creepy, or needy, or clingy or whatever other adjectives they use in those shady guidebooks in magazines for straight girls?”

“How do you know what they write in magazines for girls?” Magnus furrows his brows, but his smile stays unmoved on his face, as if glued to it.

“I mean, he did say _I love you_ , but, like, to my dick, sort of? Once? It was more like,” Even voice goes higher, as if to imitate Isak's. “I love you, Even's Dick. You're so hard and big and lovely and friendly...”

“He talks to your dick?”

“No. You know what I mean.” Even sighs and hides his face in his hands, shoulders slumped. He looks comical. But feels just as dramatic as it is _appropriate_ for a man who has found himself in type of situation.

“Uh...No. I don't. No one's ever talked to my dick.”

“Well, yeah, but _you_ talked to it, for sure.”

“Oh, that is another issue altogether.”

“Yeah...yeah. Fuck he hasn't replied yet. Well, dick loving days are over.”

 _Talking about which_ , Even thinks, and peeks down at the notebook on his lap.

“I read your notes by the way.”

“Oh, okay. You see there's nothing wrong, right?”

Even looks at Magnus in silence, and once the moment starts to weigh too much on both of them, he blinks it away and turns his gaze onto the notebook.

“Uh...I wanted to ask you. I know you don't like talking about him, I _know_ , but, I guess, the first question that popped into my head while reading was, uh.” Even looks up at Magnus again and tries his hardest to will his voice to sound as soft as possible. “Why is Julian the person you write the most about?”

“WHAT?” Magnus asks way too loudly and in a _way_ too offended tone to sound in any way as casual as he would probably like to sound while answering this question. He snaps the notebook from Even's hands and starts flipping through the pages frantically, as if on a search of proof he could use to confirm, or, more likely, deny Even's conclusion.

Even's phone buzzes again. He picks it up so quickly that it almost slips from his hands.

 

_**ISSYBABY <33333333** _

You better come over and say it to my face then

 

_**EVEN** _

Fuck I love you

 

Even clicks 'send'. Then, he yells.

“I did it again????? Fuck, Mags! I can't help myself! It just slips!!” Even stands up from the bed in one swift motion and starts pacing the room. Magnus looks up at him, smile gone from his face this time.

“If it's a slip of the tongue then it means it's genuine, right? Like, it's the first thought you have when you see him sending you those gross pictures of him, right?”  
“Of course it is! It's also the first whenever I see him, and then hear him laugh, and see him smile, and kiss, and watch him fuc---”

“Ugh okay.”

“Like. I know it. He's going to break up with me, fuck, I know.”

“Yes, Ev. He's going to break up with you for saying you love him.” Magnus says in a tone that is back to sounding both fond and amused.

“Yeah!!” Even stops pacing and stands over Magnus. Then he shrugs. “That, or he's gonna blow me.”

Magnus raises and eyebrow and goes back to going through his notes.

“God, I hope it's the second option.” Even whines and starts walking into the direction of the door.

“We _all_ do. Now go slice that virgin, baby.”

“Oh, believe me, Isak was _not_ a virgin.” Even says with a grin and rushes out of the room,

seemingly having forgotten all about his friend's notebook. He stops at the door and turns to Magnus, who is deeply focused on rereading his brightly pink notes.

“Will you be okay?”

Magnus raises his head and smiles faintly.

“I think I'll live.”

Even smiles.

“What if it's the first option? And he kills me?”

“Well, then I won't live.”

“I love you.” Even says warmly, not being able to contain the joy that builds up in his stomach whenever he spends time like this with his best friend. Being silly. Open. Shameless. Dramatic as possible.

He runs up to the hallway to put his shoes on (someone's really going to end up running through the city in tight sweats on tonight) and hears a high-pitched: “What?” coming from Magnus' room.

“It slipped!” Even yells cheerily into the direction of his best friend's room and slams the door behind him, then runs down the stairs ( _fuck that broken elevator_ ), while his floppy, unstyled hair bounces on his forehead.

_Fuck. He better leave that snapback on._

 


	14. A Slip of the Tongue over Italian Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't understand.

Magnus comes home to find Even rummaging through kitchen cabinets and humming something under his breath.

 _Cleaning. Humming._ (A song Magnus doesn't know, but the melody does seem to ring a bell somehow.) _He's in a good mood. Maybe he got laid. Again. Can't say that for myself._

The moment Even sees Magnus standing in the hall, his face lights up.

“Hey, Mags.” Even walks over to Magnus to give him their usual greeting – an one-arm hug.

_Ah. Feels fucking good. Who knew giving him that fucking notebook would fix the awkwardness between us?_

Before Magnus can truly lose himself in the hug, Even's arm is already leaving his back to point in the direction of their small table next to the couch. On it, two boxes of medium pizza are lying, waiting to be devoured.

_Is this heaven?_

“I ordered us some. Thought you'd be hungry after Uni.”

“Hell yeah I am. Where's Isak?”

“He still has his classes. He finishes in two hours. He's gonna come over later.”

“Cool.”

They sit down, and Magnus immediately takes a big bite of the Italian beauty laid in front of him. Even is a bit more tentative, taking small bites and watching Magnus.

“So...” He starts. “How was your day?”

“Good, I guess. Macke gave us another project to do. This time, with a member of a different group. How does he come up with this stuff?”

“Well, he has a few good years of teaching experience. I'm sure that's not the most inventive assignment he's ever given his students.”

“Still. I would've preferred to do it with Mahdi, like usual.”

“You have to get out of your comfort zone, dear.” Even says in a mocking voice and they chuckle.

“Yeah. I guess. Gotta do it for the credit anyway.”

There is a moment of silence, during which Even completely gives up on pretending he's eating his pizza.

“Um...” He looks down on his hands, then scratches his head. “Mags?”

“Yeah, buddy. What's up?” Magnus' lips are covered in the fat sauce from the pizza. He lift his eyes to look at Even.

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

“Did...Uh. Did you and Ads break up?”

“What? No! Why?”

Magnus puts down his pizza and wipes his mouth with his sleeve. Shit. That is going to be a _pain_ to wash off. Even looks up at his best friend.

“I...Sorry. Sorry for asking. You obviously didn't.”

“Of course we didn't. Why would you ask that?”

“Uh... I don't know.” Even runs his hand through his hair, messing it up. It reminds Magnus of all the times he's come out of his room while Isak was over. “I just..I don't know. From the notebook, I guess?”

Magnus furrows his eyebrows, trying to digest Even's words. Not succeeding.

“I don't understand.”

Even sighs, clearly uncomfortable, but determined to keep the topic going.

“I mean...I don't know. It just seemed like, from what you wrote.”

“Okay...”

Even sits up and puts his elbows on his knees, clearly getting ready to get to the point of the topic.

“I mean...okay. If I was a random person who read your diary...”

“Not really a diary, but okay.”

“Your notes. Then I would think you and Ads were maybe friends? Or, people who used to have something, but now are just friendly? I don't know how else to put it.”

Magnus doesn't know what to say. Or what to think.

“Really? Maybe it's the way I wrote it. I'm not a novelist, so.”

Another moment of silence.

“I can reread it and then tell you if maybe it seems like that.” Magnus shrugs and takes another slice of pizza in his hand, leaning in to bite it.

“But you're not...being intimate, right?”

Okay. This slice of pizza became a lot less appealing all of a sudden.

“What?” Magnus chuckles awkwardly. “What do you mean? We're intimate.”

“No, I mean, like...Not intimate in like a spiritual sense? Like, talking about important stuff or sharing your thoughts...I mean like, being intimate as in, having sex. Pretty much.”

Even clearly does not seem to be comfortable asking Magnus about it. _Why is he insisting on continuing this weird conversation?_

“Uhh...” Magnus pretends like he's counting the days since the last time he and his girlfriend had sex, when in reality, he knows it very well. 24 days. 13 hours. A fuckton of minutes. An infinity of fucking seconds.

“Nah. We do have sex. We haven't had it in a while, but that's because we're mostly...uh, baking, lately. We just feel like doing it more.”

 _God._ Baking and no sex. If someone asked Magnus if that's what his relationship with his girlfriend would one day be like, he'd laugh in their face.

“Like, aren't there like...different stages in relationships and stuff? We've been together for almost 2 years, so the constant sexing has to end sometime, right?”

Magnus doesn't know why, but it feels like he's coming up with an excuse. For what, he doesn't know.

“Not everyone's banging all the time like you and Is. Besides, you've only just started dating.”

“Um, yeah. Sure. I can't even imagine not wanting to go down on him any moment I'm physically able to, but yeah.” Even chuckles, then grows more silent. “That happens.”

“Yeah. So we're probably going through that stage. We're probably going to be like, fucking like rabbits next week or something.” Magnus has a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe there was something in that pizza.

“Yeah. Yeah. Maybe.” Even looks at his pizza as if it has the answers to every question in the universe, yet doesn't seem to be wanting to eat it to gain all that enticing knowledge.

“Why...Why do you ask?” Magnus' stomach starts doing all weird twists and turns. _Fuck._ “Did she, like, say something to you?”

There is a pause. God. Even sure likes to take his time with answering questions that Magnus never wanted to ask in the first place.

“Uh...No, not exactly. I mean, I asked her about some stuff. Like, I sort of asked for advice, like, sex-wise. And she said that there's no point in asking her since you haven't been doing stuff lately anyway and she doesn't feel like doing it...I don't know. It was a short, messy conversation. I felt sorry for asking her after.”

_A short, messy conversation? Isn't that what's happening right now? Well I wish this conversation was a lot shorter than it turned out to be. And a lot less messy. I just wanted to eat pizza with my best friend. Preferably without him bugging me about my non-existing sex life with my girlfriend._

“Well..yeah. Did she seem upset about it? Like, us...not being, as you said,” Magnus makes air bunnies. “ 'intimate' like this?”

“I...I'm not sure. I hope she wasn't.” By now, Even's hair looks totally like it does right after he's been having sex with Isak. And Isak is brutal when it comes to hair pulling from what Magnus has deduced. _I wonder how Even's not bald yet. Oh, nope, there's time for yet another swipe of the hand._

“Sorry.”

“It's okay, man. I'm sure it'll pass.”

“Yeah. And...I was kinda being sorry for...the next question I have for you.”

_Oh, for fuck's s--_

“Yeah? What is it.”

_Let's just get this over with. I guess my useless notes raised a lot of questions in that beautiful fool. There's no reason to worry about me, beautiful._

“Uh...When you saw me with Isak, in the kitchen...Uh...Sort of, getting it on...”

_Oh, he **is** a fool. Why do you keep pushing it, fool?! What is happening?_

“Mhm.” Magnus deadpans, by this point simply waiting for this conversation to sort of be over by itself.

“You wrote that it turned you on?”

_Oh, fuck. I never took Even for someone willing to do threesomes._

“What, are you willing to do a threesome?” Magnus instantly jokes.

“Are you?” Even shots back.

_What?_

Even looks up at Magnus, who's sitting across from him, bewildered and silent. Both holding their breaths, until Even backtracks.

“No, I mean, I wanted to ask, uh, why do you think it made you horny?”

“I don't know.” Magnus shrugs and says the first thing that comes to his mind.”'Cause two guys getting it on is just as hot as a guy and a girl getting it on?”

There is a pause and, this time, they're not holding their breaths, just looking at each other. Even looks as if he's waiting for Magnus' words to come back to him so he can actually listen to what he's just said.

Which works, after a few minutes.

“Wait. What did I just say?”


	15. A Drittsekk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking up for heaven

 

 

******

 

 

I can already smell it. Bacon sizzling in the pan. I can hear her humming softly. Oh, and the volume goes up. Aand she's singing. God, she can't hold a note for her life. She's got some big lungs though, 'cause when she gets going, there's no stopping her. And when she's trying to hit the high notes...god help us all. And I love her. I love her so much it hurts to think of the day we have to part. And the day's approaching. Like an impending doom. Or a clown jumping out at you in the dark. Or a badly CGI-ied dragon in a fantasy movie.

She's currently staying here, in Oslo, but she's going to have to go back to the university she attends back at home, the lovely United States of the ever-so-lovely America. She's staying here for the semester, and I knew that the moment she crossed the threshold of this small, rented two-people apartment, yet it was the thing I've had the most trouble accepting ever since we've grown closer to each other. Day by day.

“Hiiiiiiiiiiiii baby!!” She turns around, rather dramatically and flashes me her biggest, brightest smile. The “Di Smile”, I call it. A Smile to Die for.

“Hi.” My voice is rather groggy and quiet in the mornings, which I feel guilty for each time, because it doesn't fully express how excited I actually am to still see her in our kitchen each morning. Or whenever we get to share a moment. Or just be in each other's presence.

I come over to her and look over her shoulder, to see what's she's been cooking up.

“Pesto? Again?” I feign disappointment.

“Please. You love it.”

“Pesto with pasta. For breakfast, lunch and dinner. Only with you.” I pour myself a glass of orange juice and sit by our small kitchen table.

“You know it! Only with me!” She goes back to frying up a considerable amount of pasta in the frying pan and resumes her humming. Her voice is way too cheerful considering the lyrics she's humming to.

 

 

_When we're looking up for heaven_ __  
_Looking up for heaven_ __  
_And way down here upon the ground_ __  
_When we're lying in the dirt_ _  
_ _There's no looking up for heaven_

 

  
“Looking up for heaven...” She sings the last part, completely out of tune, as per tradition, under her nose, quietly. Then, she stops for a moment and asks, “I think my accent changed?”

“What do you mean?”

“I think I sound more....Norwegian now?”

I laugh heartily, loudly, a laugh I'd never been a big fan of, since I used to be silenced a lot, by parents, teachers, or even my ex-girlfriend (God, what a disaster that was. Me? With a girl? Sometimes I still can't believe that even happened. Sometimes all I can do when I think about my teenage self is shake my head. Me? Straight? Ah, heteronormativity. Making you believe all sorts of ridiculous stuff. Until your dick tells you differently. You, OR your girlfriend.) She made me love it though. And her laughter's not much quieter anyways. So we both laugh, heartily and loudly, whenever we find something funny or entertaining enough, and we let the warm feeling spread throughout our chests, unashamedly.

“Don't you think?”

“Uhh...I don't know. I haven't noticed.” I'm brought back to kitchen by Di's lovely voice.

“I think so.” She gently taps her pointing finger on her chin a few times. She's so cute. Any small thing she does is cute. And I see all the small things she does. Watching her is like watching the most lovable character on the most heartwarming sitcom. With eh exception of not being a passive watcher, but a liver. A sitcom liver.

“Like...I speak this broken Norwegian of mine all the time, right? Trying to imitate the accent...Maybe once I'll go back home I'll sound like a Norwegian foreign-exchange student, who knows?”

Ah, yes. She can bring up her going back to the States so easily. While I choke each time I think about it.

“Uh...I don't think that's going to happen. You're going to fit right in.” I stand up, not being able to stand the distance between us any longer. Me, sitting by the table while she's cooking and I'm not hugging her from behind. Seems artificial.

“Just like you fit right in here.” I grab her waist gently (She's so small! 155 centimeters! With my giant 2 meter ass we must look like the oddest couple) and pull her towards me. I look at her big, doe eyes, directed straight at me.

“Where?” She asks, like she doesn't know.

“Here! In Oslo, in Uni. In this apartment.” She smiles and hums, Bastillions reduced to white noise.

“And, in here.” I take her small hand and put it over my chest. She smiles. I follow. We hug.

We're saps, she and I. Probably that's why we fit so well. And probably why I won't stop being referred to as “the American girl's gay best friend” until she leaves for home. And I'll be back to moping around the house. Until another foreign exchange student gets assigned here and we'll try to connect and build anything resembling a friendship.

Will they love _Legally Blonde_ as much as me and her though?

Not.

Very.

Likely.

 

 

 

******

 

 

 

He's late. Well, can't blame him. If I had a hot boyfriend to make out with on every break I wouldn't show to these study sessions at all. Nah, who am I kidding. I would. Having a person to talk to who actually gets you? I wouldn't miss it for the world. I would run here, to the library, each time and be here sharp at 14:00 three times a week. Even if that meant not spending these 40 minutes of my day with my boyfriend. _A_ boyfriend. Shit. That sounds...Magical. Perfect. Idyllic, really. Yet so abstract it hurts.

“Hey.” He's out of breath, almost throwing his backpack on the chair next to the one he takes. His hair is tussled and he doesn't have his snapback on, which I swearI saw him wear when we saw each other in the hallway earlier. Hm.

“Hey, what took you so long?” I ask, sounding desperate as I always do, and like a nerd who always shows up on time (which I also always do).

“Even.” He rolls his eyes and smiles, while taking out his biology notebook out of his backpack.

“Oh. Yeah.” I smile. It's so good to see him happy. Ever since we lost contact after high school I've been wondering what's he up to. Has he met someone worthy. Someone who wouldn't use him like that one time back in school. Someone good. And ever since I got my answer, I couldn't keep my distance anymore. I wanted to go back to the state we were in before it all went to shit. To the state of being silly, and open and genuine with each other. Back to being friends. The two odd gay ones back in high school. Now, just friends.

Friends.

“Sorry, I...” He sighs and opens his course book. “Fuck. He's just...you know. So...”

“Hot? Irresistible? Cute? Funny?” I can't stop smiling, looking at his smile. There must be something about the happiness of one's friends being contagious. Because when I'm with him, or with Di, I forget the pithole my own heart is in.

“Fuck yeah.” He giggles. He doesn't mind my comments. He knows I'm gone for someone else entirely.

“But I want to keep meeting up, you know? I like our study sessions.”

God, I _am_ a sap. Because my heart swells just because a friend of mine just told me he likes spending time with me in the school library three times a week. Pathetic.

“Yeah. Me too.”

“Okay now.” He half-laughs. “Enough with the feeling talk. Let's get to work.” He flips a few pages of his course book and he's already deep in thought. I don't know how he can switch so easily, from the “I just made out with my boyfriend so hard in the broom closet that my snapback fell off” mode to “I gotta get my bio on 'cause the exams are coming soon” mode. I admire it though.

Especially since I tend to daydream. Of the slightly long, straight blond hair that falls onto a particular somebody's shoulders. Broad shoulders. Long, slim legs, with _just_ enough meat on the thighs to hold on to. Long, light lashes. Slightly open lips, especially when they form a small “o” as if to say----

“Oh, so that's where you've been hiding on Tuesdays.”

We snap our heads and both look up to see the object of my daydreams.

_Uh._

How embarrassing to see your crush just after you've been thinking about them. Especially if you've been thinking about them in what some people might call, a compromising position. Preferably without that light blue shirt they're wearing. Which is not buttoned up all the way up and is conveniently showing your crush's collarbone. As if to taunt. To dare. To tempt. To crumble your hope when they say,

“Great. So you're hanging out together now.”

Isak sighs and rolls his eyes slightly.

“You literally have no say in who I hang and not hang out with, Mags. Let it be.”

And then he takes _you_ in. And suddenly you're realizing you should have put on a clean shirt today. Or tighter jeans, even though he can't see the jeans you're wearing when they're conveniently hidden under a table (thank _god_ , since you're wearing the ones you spilled milk on and the stain does _not_ look presentable in any way). Or that you should have washed your hair. Or like, I don't know, put some chapstick on?

And then he looks back at the guy sitting in front of you, as if you're a ghost. As if you're so unimportant that you don't even register in his brain. That you don't even deserve a “hello”. Or a “fuck off,” even.

To be fair though, a “fuck off” would be only deserved after you've actually managed to utter anything after you saw him.

“I guess that's true. I hope Even knows about this, though.” He says under his breath and walks away, shoulders slumped. As if merely seeing you brought him down. And you don't want to do that. Not that. Not again.

“I f u c k i n g swear...” Isak leans in to me, whispering, before Magnus even has a chance to disappear behind the book shelves surrounding us. “...It pisses me off so much that he thinks he's got a right to suspect me of doing anything with you after he sees me practically riding Even's dick on the couch in the living room every day.”

I let out a rather embarrassingly high-pitched laugh and have to cover my mouth as not to break out into one of my usual roaring fits of laughter (I wish Di was here to glare at the librarian after she shushes me, as usual).

Isak smiles.

“I mean...How does he even think it works? Like, do I have enough stamina to go at it with Even and THEN go back here to get it on with you?” He goes back to looking at his notes and shakes his head slightly. “Ridiculous. I love him to bits but he can be so...clueless about shit. I swear.”

We sit in silence for a bit, he, seemingly lost in his biology notes and me, not really knowing what to think, sitting dumbly in my chair, with my hands on my knees, still sweating from that semi-encounter.

Until he speaks.

“And he's always being such a dick to you??? Honestly, this shit's getting old.”

Oh, so he wasn't lost in his notes.

“I mean, it's just...so. Not typical of him, you know?” Isak leans in to me again, whispering, his face apologetic. “He's usually so forgiving. So easy, to forget and forgive. I mean, all it takes for us is to give him a slight pout or to be silent for a minute and he's already patting us on the shoulder, assuring us that “nothing happened” no matter what shit we give him. But with you, it's like...” He seems to ponder his choice of words for a moment, before he continues, “...Like he's really set on just, like, keeping on hating you? For whatever reason? I mean, the reason may be _there_ , but he'd usually be so over that already, if it was anybody else. I swear, he's never been so hung up on hating anybody before.”

Ah, hating anybody. So I guess I'm not a ghost. Or, if I _am_ a ghost, I am one that's worth hating. I guess I am special in that respect. And if that's the kind of special I am to him, I'll take it. There is not much choice given to me as to what to take from him.

“Like, when Mahdi gave you his number and you texted him, receiving his catchphrase in return” he grimaces a little, clearly uncomfortable with how his friend has gotten used to treating me (a sentiment I can't even take a moment to relish, at least not now, as I'm hearing about how the object of my affection for over 2 years clearly hates my guts), “I bet he saved you as _A Drittsekk_ or something. I am a hundred percent s u r e he did not delete your number. The one thing he can't bring himself to when it comes to you is indifference, I know it. Everybody knows it, no matter how much he always tries to hide it, again, for whatever reason.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “So, be careful here,” he raises an eyebrow. “'Cause if you're saved as _A Drittsekk_ then you're dangerously close to Adela in his contacts. Wouldn't be surprised if you got a _U up?_ text one day.” He leans back on his chair and looks at the desk, absentmindedly. “Whether that would be a conscious mistake or not,” he mumbles.

We're both silent for a minute, then I speak, not being able to stand the weird, tension-filled silence that's made its way onto our table, with a fake half-smile on my face,

“Maybe it's for the better.”

“Huh?”

“I guess I kinda enjoy it when guys are mean to me.”

He scrunches his eyebrows.

“What do you mean?”

“Who's your celebrity crush?”

“What? Why?”

“Mine's Simon Cowell.” I look him straight in the eyes, with the half-smile glued to my face, like an armor. Words spilling out as a joke, a brushing off, the usual defense of the sad ones.

“What?”

“I've been watching those _Britain's Got Talent_ clips on Youtube like crazy lately.” I shrug, the smile not leaving me, while I'm unable to force it off my face.

“What?”

Silence again.

“Doesn't he like, cry, when little girls come on and sing pop ballads?”

“Oh, you've been watching him too, huh?”

We snort quietly.

“N o.” He smiles, that playful smile.

Aand we're back.

“Soo, what's yours?”

“Ugh.” He rolls his eyes, then looks up at the ceiling. “I don't really...It's kinda, um. Embarrassing.”

“What isn't. Seriously. What in this world isn't embarrassing.”

“I know.” He chuckles, and smiles to himself. Thinks for a moment. Then starts. “You know when we were growing up, in junior high...I had this friend, who sort of, um. Like, when we'd get off to porn, I mean, my friends did, to straight porn, he used to, sort of, get off to like...art?”

I look at him. “What?”

“Like, paintings. Like, the naked ladies laying spread on the floors, or on the grass, looking like they've just had this mind-blowing orgasm and shit?”

I try to look as I'm contemplating what he's saying even though I know exactly what he's talking about. And if those paintings were dudes, then----

“So, one day he like, showed me some guy paintings, right. And I sort of developed a crush on one of them.”

I hum.

“Continue...”

“This is so ridiculous.” He smiles awkwardly and runs a hand through his hair. “And don't fucking tell Even, cause the guy doesn't look anything like Even, okay?”

“Sure.” I laugh.

“So...you're an art nerd so you know this one.”

He's stalling. He's embarrassed while he's sharing a story of his first crush with me. He's the cutest thing right now.

“Isak.”

“Hm?”

“Just tell me. Come on. I can take it.”

“Okay. It's the one Caravaggio killed for. A real love crime, you know.”

“I know. Just tell me.”

“You know this one. Boy with the basket of fruit.”

 

 

******

 

 

I run. Treadmill. Then squats. Bench press. A little. The a little more. Then until I'm drenched. I don't have a personal trainer but I've been observing a guy with a similar built being taught a set of exercises he does three days a week when he comes here. I've been observing him for quite a while now – a few months (maybe 3?). He was pretty crap at the beginning, but now he bench presses more than I do (and I used to exercise at my house until I moved in with Di). I know he must know the routine by heart now. I know it, because his skills and movement coordination have become impeccable over the last 2 months. If you saw him, you'd say he most definitely does _not_ need a personal trainer by this point. But he keeps coming here, three times a week, 15:00 on the clock each time. Why? Well, I'm pretty sure he's in love with his trainer. And what I've observed from the way his trainer 'oversees' his progress and 'supervises' his training, his feelings are pretty much being reciprocated. I don't know why he keeps coming here, since their feelings are co obviously mutual. Or maybe it's a game they play between themselves? Maybe they've been going out for a while? I have no way of knowing and I'll probably never find out. Still, seeing them each time I work out is heartwarming.

Before you say I'm a creep who checks out other men and their sweaty bodies at the gym, let me stop you. There's only one guy I've been interested since high school. And the guy does not look like he does, or could ever, reciprocate my feelings, or my wantings, or my cravings. My whatever-they-might-be's. In fact, I'm _pretty_ sure he hates me. And when I'm pretty sure about something, I usually turn out to be right.

He has been coming here way more often lately, though. I heard his girlfriend specializes in baking, and that he specializes in loving his girlfriend, so he probably takes time of each day to show her just how much he appreciates her talent and efforts she puts into it. That's just the kind of a guy he is – he won't refuse, out of the goodness of heart. Or, in this case, out of love. But I don't need to be reminded of that. (So he probably started coming here so he wouldn't start getting a bit heavier. Does he know there are people who would, and who do, love him just as he is? I hope his girlfriend does a proper job of reminding him of that. I really hope she does.)

After I'd come up to him once when I saw him here for the first time, he did not snap at me like he usually does when he comes into any type of contact with me. He simply, just, barely took a glance at me, stepped out of his treadmill and went into the locker room. I took the hint. I'm not that pitiful to come over to him after that sort of reaction. I try to give him as much space as possible. Whenever I see him come in, I take a treadmill that's a bit further in the room. When I see him walk into the gymnastics room when I'm there, I cut my exercises a bit shorter. I don't want to be a bother, a distraction, an annoyance. He's shown me many times that he is not interested in pursuing any type of friendship with me and I don't want anything else than to show him I am fine with that. So he won't feel guilty – I know he's prone to that, after all. And maybe, if the space I give will be big enough, he'll manage to forget about me and my quiet presence kept at a distance from him will not be annoying anymore. It will be simply unnoticeable.

I love gym. I love how I can shut off my brain during exercise. I love to push myself to the limit of my endurance and make sure I step off my treadmill (the beginning and ending of each set of exercises I do here when I come on Thursdays and Wednesdays) only once I have reached my limit. That I did as much as I could. It applies to every sphere of my life, so why should it be any different here?

And I love exercising. Just me, my body and boy Lionel. Just us, sharing a nice workout. He, singing softly in my ears and me, sweating like a pig. Until I can't do it anymore. And I stumble into the shower. I throw my headphones and my gym clothes on the bench. And I step into that stall where a cloud flood of watery drizzle awaits me. Okay. Maybe I'm not a poet. But I love the cold shower I take each time after a good, exhausting workout. I close my eyes. And I simply enjoy it. I indulge myself for a few moments. Just me, and the sounds of water hitting the cold floor. It's all worth it. All my exertion, and sweat and a frantically beating pulse in my veins when I reach my limit during an exercise. This small moment I have in the shower is worth it all, each time.

I sigh. Quietly, contentedly. And maybe I smile to myself a bit, like a muscle-fool I am. But this moment is just for me, and me alone---

Or maybe not. I lean in to reach for the shower gel and, with the corner of my eye, I catch a pair of eyes. A familiar pair of eyes. And it's not like guys hadn't checked me out before. I mean, it's a gym, for Pete's sake. And the doors to the shower cabins are mostly see-through, at least the part of the door that covers the upper half of the body. And there is another set of showers, with no doors at all. I call it 'the shower equivalent of an urinal,' because, well, that's what it is, pretty much. And I like using this one. Not because I have some sort of exhibitionist kink. It's just that the shower cabins are so damn hot. And all I want to do after a workout it for my body to get drenched in cold water. And, when the water is cooling me off, I would prefer to not sweat because of how hot the inside of the shower cabin is. (Sometimes I wonder if the people responsible for the air-conditioning aren't doing this on purpose to make the guys shower in these shower-urinals, but that's probably just me being paranoid or something.)

Anyway. The eyes. They're on me. They're roaming my chest and they shoot down for a millisecond, to check out the other oh-so-very-important-and-prominent-part-of-me, but the moment they catch me, and we share the most fucking intense eye-contact I have ever experienced in my life, they leave me. And even though the eye-contact lasts for less than a second, he's beet red, and he manages to promptly slam his locker furiously, then walk out, quietly whining under his breath something that sounds more-or-less like “Fuck off, Julian,” with the emphasis on my name, in which, if you wrote it on paper, each letter would be separated by a space (don't ask me how I know, it just seems that way from the way he says it.)

And when he leaves the locker room, slamming the doors with force, I instantly feel the freezing water back on me. And it's really fucking freezing. And I have to hop off the shower immediately. And still, even though I didn't use the cabin, I'm covered in sweat again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Di listens to in this chapter is Glory by Bastille.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading :)


End file.
